


Miraculous Team: Haute Couture

by SonicPossible00



Series: Miraculous Team [2]
Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Alternate Universe, Antelope, Arachnid, Ari - Freeform, Corbeau Noire, Dragonfly, F/F, F/M, Flint - Freeform, Forest Doe, Louve Grise, Madame Romani, Mika - Freeform, Multi, Muria, Panda Rouge, Paris (City), Pin, Tamara - Freeform, flamingo, grizzly bear - Freeform, imp, reptile - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-16
Updated: 2017-07-28
Packaged: 2018-11-01 14:48:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 20
Words: 93,111
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10924053
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SonicPossible00/pseuds/SonicPossible00
Summary: Paris Fashion Week is here, and with it glamour and beauty! Unfortunately, Hawk Moth has his own plans to ruin it... plans that involve destroying the Miraculous Team. In between fabrics and runways, Ladybug and her teammates will have to save the day, while keeping Gabriel Agreste safe.(AU where everyone in Marinette and Adrien's class has a Miraculous. Numerous relationships MarixAdrien, AlyaxNino, JulekaxRose, ChloexSabrina, KimxAlix, IvanxMylène, etc)





	1. Paris Fashion Week

The news featuring the Miraculous Team kept showing up on newspapers, television and Internet. They were the biggest sensation ever since Justin Bieber or any other superstar. The difference between the them and the music or movie superstars was that they had superpowers and had defeated a monster, and nobody knew who were they under the masks. Even without the Internet, they were still a pretty big deal. In a matter of weeks, there already comics based on them, figures and collectibles from various toy companies, t-shirts, balloons, all kinds of things. On top of all, there even people who began to cosplay as them. There was also a rumour on the Internet about an animation studio having the idea to create a cartoon show based on them.   

But not even all the news in the world regarding the Miraculous Team were enough to overshadow one of the biggest events in the city, the Paris Fashion Week. The spring/summer edition was about to start, and on that particular year, all the greatest designers and fashion houses were there. Gucci, Prada, Chanel, Dior, Versace, Givenchy, Jean Paul Gautier, Yves Saint Laurent, Pierre Cardin, and others, were there to show the world what would be the fashions and trends for that year. But, just like every other year, there was a fierce rivalry between some of the designers, who wanted to prove that they were best of the best, and on that year, the rivalry that stood out from all the others was between Gabriel Agreste and Amélie Dufayel.

Their rivalry was known by just about everyone in the fashion world. It had begun on the year Gabriel founded his brand, naming it after himself, and ever since, the two had been competing against one another. They were always trying to beat one another. Some would say that that kind of competition was healthy for both Gabriel and Amélie, who did their best to surpass one another. But the truth was that that competition was seen by both designers as diabolical. They could not stand one another. Gabriel Agreste believed she was an arrogant, self-centred woman, without any sort of talent for fashion, while Amélie Dufayel believed he was a cold, snobbish man, who did not have the necessary tenderness to create clothes. All in all, the two hated each other, and if it was up to them, that would not change.

Still, all of that was just a lot of hogwash for Chloé Bourgeois and her friend, Sabrina Raicomprix, who were visiting the backstage of that event. Chloé’s dad, Mayor Andre Bourgeois had managed to get her VIP tickets, which gave her access to the backstage. Not feeling like going alone, she called Sabrina, who agreed to go with her. But, the two of them did not go alone. In their purses, were their kwamis, Pollen and Mika. Because secretly, they were two of the members of the Miraculous Team, Queen Bee and Louve Grise.

“Thanks for inviting me to come with you, Chloé.” -Sabrina told her.

“Don’t mention it.” -Chloé smiled at her. –“Besides, you know I hate to come to these things alone. And who better to come with me, than my best friend?”

Chloé had been trying really hard to become a better person, ever since the school year started, and those who knew her had seen an improvement in her attitudes and on her behaviour towards others. Of course, sometimes she would revert to her old self, but with the help of her friends, but especially Sabrina and Pollen, those moments were becoming less frequent.

“Hey, what about me?” -Pollen cried out.

“Oh, Pollen, you know I don’t go anywhere without you.” -Chloé said, as she opened her purse and smiled at the bee kwami, who also smiled back.  

“This place looks something.” -Mika said, as he slowly got his head from Sabrina’s purse and saw what was going on. –“I think I’ve never seen these many dresses in one place before.”

“That’s not entirely true.” -Pollen said. –“Don’t you remember that princess you had for a holder about 1500 hundred years ago?”

“Oh, you mean Liu Chuyu? Yes, I remember her quite well, and yeah, she had a large collection of dresses, but nothing like this.” -Mika declared. –“You know, what kiddo? You would look really pretty on one of those.” -he told Sabrina, while pointing to a simple, yet stylish blue sleeveless dress from Chanel.          

“It certainly looks beautiful… but I don’t have the height or the physique to wear it.” -Sabrina admitted, as she pictured herself with it. –“Chloé on the other hand, has the perfect figure to wear it.” -she said.

“Oh, thanks, Sabrina. But I don’t think blue is my colour.” -the blonde declared.  

As they went on, they had the chance to see just how the fashion shows were prepared. All kinds of technicians were running around, making sure that everything was perfect. From the lighting to the way the chairs around the runway were placed, everything had to be just perfect for when the guests arrived and the models started walking on the runway. Speaking of models, the girls and their kwamis also managed to take a little sneak-peak at the models that were getting ready. The smell of hairspray and make-up was in the air. On that particular night, Givenchy was presenting its spring collection, along with Versace, so one could see just how different the styles of each fashion house were. You could say that the only thing they had in common was the colours. Turquoise blue, sheer-white and lime green were going to be the colours of next year spring.  

“Those are so beautiful.” -Sabrina said.

“More or less. I like the ones on the left, but those over there just aren’t my style, and you know that I pretty much wear just about anything from that designer.” -Chloé said. –“Those purses over there, on the other hand… I’m tempted to take one of them with me.”

“I don’t think they’ll let you, Chloé.” -Sabrina chuckled.

“Nonsense, Sabrina. I’m Chloé Bourgeois. I’ll buy it from them, and that’s that.” -Chloé told her.

“You’re sounding a lot like the old Chloé, you know?” –a voice said.

Recognizing that voice, Chloé turned around to face her old friend Adrien Agreste, smiling at her and Sabrina.

“Adrien!” -Chloé exclaimed.  

“Hey, girls!” -Adrien said, as he approached them. He had just given the slip to his bodyguard, so he could go for a walk alone, and was happy to see two familiar faces. –“What are you doing here?”

“Chloé’s dad got her VIP passes, so we’re checking things.” -Sabrina answered him.

“Are we going to see you on the runway tonight, Adrien?” -Chloé asked him.

“No, not today. I’ll only get to be on the runway on the very last day.” -Adrien confessed. –“Truth be told, I’d rather be home playing videogames or listening to music, than hanging out here all the time, but my dad insists I be around, because one of the models might get sick, or be late, or get cold feet at the very last minute, and if that happens, I’m the back-up plan.” -he sighed.

Chloé knew what that was. Just like Adrien, she too had a father who was famous and knew just how demanding it was to accompany him to public events, when his advisors felt that he should be seen with her, so as to show a more caring and gentle side of him.

“I know how that is… but, at least you’ve got Plagg to keep you company and tell you jokes.” -Chloé said. –“By the way, where is he?”

“I left him in my dressing room, enjoying a Camembert sandwich. I can’t stand the smell of that cheese, so I decided to come and get some fresh air… which is not easy, when you have a certain Gorilla guarding you.” -he joked about it. Everyone in his class knew that he had named his bodyguard Gorilla because he did not know his name, and because he looked a bit like one.

“Plagg and his Camembert… I still remember when he became addicted to that particular type of cheese.” -Pollen said, as she pried her head from inside Chloe’s purse. –“Has he told you about the fact that he became addicted to it, because one of his previous holders was the man who invited Camembert cheese?”

“Multiple times…” -Adrien chuckled. –“He loves to tell me about it, every night, when I give him another piece of that stinky old cheese, before going to bed.”

“That’s Plagg, alright.” -Mika said.

The conversation was becoming cheerful by the minute, but it ended abruptly, when the three of them heard a voice that was quite familiar, especially to Adrien… his father, Gabriel Agreste. Along with his secretary and personal assistance, Nathalie Sancoeur, he was approaching them, and quite fast.    

“Nathalie, have the floral dresses for tonight arrived?” -Gabriel asked his assistant and secretary, while checking on the dresses’ design in question on his iPad.

“Not yet, sir. The truck is stuck in traffic, but I was assured that they will arrive in about 20 minutes, sir.” -Nathalie answered him, as she checked her cell phone to see if she had received any other texts. 

“Make sure they do. I want the models to try them on before the show tonight.” -he told her.   

“Very well, sir.” -Nathalie answered.

“It’s my dad! He can’t see me out of the dressing room.” -Adrien said.

“Why not?” -Sabrina asked him.

“Let’s just say, that he hates me going around without my bodyguard. Could you….”

“Don’t worry, Adrien.” -Chloé told him. –“Go. We’ll buy some time, right, Sabrina?” -she said, as Sabrina waved her head.

“Owe you a favour, girls. See ya!” -Adrien told them.

As Adrien disappeared behind one of the billboards that had to be put up yet, Gabriel Agreste turned the corner,   

“Oh, hello mister Agreste.” -Chloé waved at him.

“Oh, hello, Chloé.” -Gabriel saluted her.

This small distraction gave Adrien enough time to put some distance between his father, and getting back to the dressing room, before anyone noticed he had left. But on his way, there, he accidently went up against a moving man, who was pushing a cart with a huge card box on it, where you could read the word “Fragile” on it. The box did not tumble, but the man fell on his back. Adrien immediately helped him getting up.   

“S-Sorry.” -Adrien apologized himself.

“Watch where you are going, kid.” -the man said, as he got on his feet. He was clearly in a grouchy mood.  

What Adrien did not know was that the man that he had accidently pushed was no ordinary man. In fact, the man was none other than Hawk Moth’s lieutenant, Reptile, in disguise. After his master’s humiliating defeat at the hands of the Miraculous Team, Reptile and Madame Romani had made their mission to find new targets for their master to use his Akuma butterflies on, so he could finally rule the world. But before that could happen, they would need to get rid of the Miraculous Team. And that was just what he was doing; looking for a way to defeat them, or in this case, someone whose heat was filled with dark emotions and feelings and that Hawk Moth could use to destroy those infernal brats. As he got up, he looked around once more, despising what he saw.

“ _Look at all this ostentation! What a waste of good money._ ” -Reptile asked himself. –“ _How can anyone squander money like this is beyond me… not to mention, that those who wear these clothes are people who look you from the top, as if you were an insignificant cockroach. Still, in a place like this, there’s bound to be someone who the master can use to destroy those kids… all I need to do, is to find it._ ” -he told himself.


	2. Inspirational Afternoon

While this happened, back in Marinette’s house, she was killing time, while waiting for Alya to show up. She had agreed to go with Marinette on a walk, so the blue-haired girl could find inspiration for a new fashion project she was working on. Both Alya and Marinette did this ritual, whenever one of them needed to find a new source of inspiration for something they would be doing, and this time, it was Marinette who needed. To kill time, Marinette, along with Tikki sat in front of her laptop and began to watch one of the many animes that the blue-haired girl had in her drive. She had seen pretty much every single one she had in her drive, so she let Tikki chose which one to watch. Looking through the list of animes, the scarlet kwami chose one named Marmalade Boy, which told the story of Miki Koishikawa and Yuu Matsura and how they fell in love.

“This is so much fun!” -Tikki said, as she laughed.

“I’m glad you like it so much.” -Marinette told her. –“My mom has always loved animation, so, when I was younger, I used to watch this with her.”

“She has good taste, like you.” -Tikki said.

“Thanks.” -Marinette told her. –“I like to think that I inherited my mom’s tastes, and my dad’s ability to work with my hands, except that instead of making bread and cookies, I design and sew.” -she giggled.

“Well, there’s no doubt you got lots of talent, Marinette.” -Tikki smiled.

“Oh, come on, don’t say that. You’re going to make me blush.” -Marinette giggled.

“But it’s true.” -Tikki chirped, as she kept watching the anime. -“I really like this one, and it’s not just because of the pretty dresses the characters wear. It’s also because of the story. It’s very romantic.”

“You like romance?” -Marinette asked her.

“Like everyone else, yes.” -Tikki said. –“Over the centuries, I’ve seen my share of romance. And I’m not just talking about what I’ve read in books. I’m also talking about what I’ve witnessed myself… miraculous holders falling in love with each other…”

“Really?”

“Indeed. It’s not unusual for holders to fall in love with one another.” -Tikki said. –“I wouldn’t be surprised, if, for example, you and Adrien would end up together in the future.”

“W-What?! M-Me and A-Adrien?!” -Marinette stuttered.

“Why not? You like him.” -Tikki smiled.

“I do, b-but… but I don’t know if he likes me.” -Marinette kept stuttering.

“Well, then you have to ask him. You should try and go on a date… this time, alone, and not with the rest of the class behind you.” -the scarlet kwami told her, reminding her of their trip to the movies, on the week after they had defeated Gargantua.

“But you know how I am. I freeze when I’m near him… not as much as I did before, but still…”

“Then, ask him out while you’re Ladybug. You don’t stutter around him when you’re both Ladybug and Chat Noir.” -Tikki smiled at her. Hearing that, Marinette actually thought that was probably the best thing to do. While bearing the Ladybug suit, she became fearless and bold, forgetting about any fear she might have.

“Maybe… I’ll think about it.”

“You do that.” -Tikki smiled. –“By the way, once we finish watching this one, what do you recommend me?”

“It depends… you said you like romantic things, but animes aren’t just romantic. They can be funny, scary, mysterious, anything you want.”

“I see… well, then I’ll watch those that you like, Marinette. Knowing you, I bet that none of them are bad.” -Tikki smiled.

“Oh, don’t say that. You may not even like the ones I say are my favourites.” -Marinette told her.

“Then, what are your favourites? Come on, tell me. Now you got me curious.” -the kwami said, eager to find out more about Marinette’s tastes.  

“Okay, I can tell you a couple of them… I’m a very big fan of everything that is girly anime like Cardcaptor Sakura, Sailor Moon, Pretty Cure Splash Star, Minky Momo, Ojamajo Doremi, Mermaid Melody, among others. But then, I also like adventure and comic animes like Digimon, One Piece, Dragon Ball, Lupin the Third, Tenchi Muyo, Astro Boy, Fullmetal Alchemist, Doraemon and Air Gear.” -Marinette said, quoting every single one of her favourite animes. –“Then, of course, I also like some animes that are more serious for one reason or another like Death Note, Neon Genesis Evangelion, Parasyte, Hellsing, among others.”

“Just by their names, they all sound pretty good. You’ll have to show me every single one of them.” -Tikki said.

“I will, but can you do me a favour?” -Marinette asked her kwami, with a smile on her face. –“Don’t tell anyone I’m an amine/manga nerd. It’s not that I’m ashamed of it or anything, but it’s my little secret and I’d like to keep it for myself.” -she giggled.  

“Don’t worry, your secret is safe.” -Tikki smiled at her. –“As long as you keep giving me those delicious cookies your parents make.” -she smirked, which made Marinette retribute the smirk. 

Marinette was about to ask her something, when she heard a knock on the door, which scared her and Tikki, who were not expecting it.

“Marinette! Can I come in?” -a voice called. It was Alya.

“Come in.” -Marinette sighed in relief. –“Me and Tikki are expecting you.”

As she opened the door, Alya’s kwami, Trixx, was the first one to enter. She immediately kissed Marinette on the cheek, just before giving a huge hug to Tikki. Alya also greeted Tikki, before giving Marinette a big hug.

“Sorry it took us so long to get here, but I had to stay with the twins until my dad arrived from work.” -Alya told her.

“It’s okay. We understand.” -Marinette said, when she noticed Trixx was rubbing her ears as if she was in pain. –“Is there something wrong with Trixx?”

“Oh, my sisters entered my room, thought that she was a stuffed animal and started to play with her.”

“Play?! More like trying to kill me, girl! They pulled my ears so much that I actually thought that they were going to pull them apart!” -Trixx complained, as she kept rubbing her sore ears. –“Your sisters are two little devils.”

“Oh, don’t be like that. You did like when they said that you were a cute little fox doll.” -Alya told her. –“And don’t deny it, I saw you smirk when little Ella grabbed you and rocked you like you were a little baby doll.” -the brunette smirked.

“Okay, that part I liked. But the rest, forget it!” -Trixx told her. –“You got to teach your sisters to knock at the door before entering. Otherwise, I won’t have time to disappear before they enter, which means I have to pretend I’m a doll, and we all know that kids love to play with dolls!”

“I didn’t know you could be this grumpy.” -Marinette chuckled.

“Thank goodness I don’t have problems like that one.” -Tikki declared.

“And, how could you?! Marinette’s an only child!” -Trixx exclaimed, clearly annoyed. –“Plus, from what Alya says, the only kid that enters here is that girl who Marinette babysits from time to time.”

“You’re talking about Manon, and for the record she’s also a handful.” -Tikki said. –“The difference is that Marinette has lots of stuff to play with, and I was always better than you when it comes to finding ways to camouflage myself.” -she giggled.

“Come on, now, don’t start fighting over something so childish, okay?” -Alya told both kwamis.

“She’s right. Besides, we’re going out and if you don’t behave yourselves, neither Alya nor I will buy you something yummy to eat.” -Marinette told Tikki and Trixx.

“Fine…” -Trixx sighed.

“Are you ready to go?” -Alya asked Marinette, while Trixx went back into Alya’s backpack.

“Almost. Let me just get my sketchbook and we’re good to go.” -Marinette answered back.

* * *

Like always, the girls decided to go where their feet took them. They had no destination in mind when they exited Marinette’s home, and they did not have it now that they were going up and down the streets. They felt it was best to go with the flow. Marinette did this often when she needed to find inspiration, and on that particular day she was hoping that by doing this ritual, she would find it, while accompanied by her best friend. Summer had ended a few weeks earlier, but the air was just as hot as it was during the summer months. The only difference was that there was already a light breeze that blew now and then, waving the leaves in the trees that were beginning to change colours from their luscious green to a more yellowish tone. Still, the air was still hot enough for people to want to have something icy cold, and the girls were no exception to the rule. Buying each a snow cone, they also bought a cup with two ice cream scoops for Tikki and Trixx, who loved the icy treat. Sating down on one of the benches of the Jardin des Tuileries, they ate the ice cream, while looking at the people that passed by them and remembering their battle against Gargantua, which took place right there.

“Aaaahhh, this is the life.” -Alya said. –“Spending an afternoon off with my best friend, while savouring an ice cream.”

“After today’s classes, we kind of earned this.” -Marinette said, as she finished eating her snow cone.

“Tell me about it.” -Alya agreed. –“I think I’ll never understand how teachers can give out so much homework. Don’t they remember that we have other classes besides theirs?” -Alya said.

“Probably not.” -Marinette joked. –“Still it was nice of Miss Bustier to give us until the end of the week to finish that report she asked us.” -she said. –“Are you enjoying your ice cream?”

Tikki and Trixx and installed themselves beneath the bench, using the girls’ backpacks as cover, for anyone who might spot them.

“I love it! What’s the name of this flavour again?” -Tikki asked Marinette.

“Blueberry fudge cake, Tikki.” -Marinette smiled, as she looked under the bench to check on them.

“It’s really good.” -Trixx said. –“I think I just found myself a new favourite food.” -she laughed.

Marinette loved that city, and that garden was one of her favourite places. As she watched a couple with a young toddler playing near them, it jogged her memory from when she had that same age. Her parents used to come with her to that garden to play with her every afternoon, and then, if she behaved, sometimes they would either buy her a snow cone, or a candy apple, or a funnel cake, or even some cotton candy from one of the food stands that were at the entrances of it. It was in this very same garden that she met Alya and became her best friend. And, it had also been in that very same garden that she thought part of her first battle against Hawk Moth’s creation, Gargantua. All in all, it was a place that brought her back memories, memories that were special for her, for one reason or another. Seeing her with an absent look in her eyes, Alya shook her lightly, bringing her back to Earth, or wherever her mind had drifted into.

“Marinette?!”

“Uh, what?” -Marinette asked.

“You were somewhere else, weren’t you?” -Alya raised her eyebrow.

“Yeah…. Sorry if I spaced out.” -Marinette apologized herself.

“It’s okay. So… what are you thinking?”

“I was just wondering…”

“Wondering? About what?” -Alya asked her.

“About this place… about how many memories I have of it. About the time when I played here with my parents; about the time when I first met you here… and well, about the time when we faced Gargantua here.” -she smiled. –“I can’t believe that just a few weeks ago this place looked like a field of war, before Master Fu used the amulet to put it all back as it was.” -Marinette said.

“I know… our lives changed so much in so little, all thanks to these little trinkets.” -Alya said, as she held her miraculous on tips of her fingers.

“Indeed.” -Marinette agreed, as she reached for her right earlobe and felt one of the rings that were her miraculous. –“And you know what? I’m glad it did. I would be lying if I said that wasn’t enjoying it.”

“Me too.” -Alya admitted. –“Although, it hasn’t been easy having a double life. I understand that we must be vigilant for when Hawk Moth comes back with another enemy or monster, but do we really need to go out every night in patrol for at least an hour?” -she asked Marinette. They had agreed that because they did not know where or when Hawk Moth would attack, they would go out at night, at last a couple of times during the week to check on the town, or at least their neighbourhood and its surroundings. Most of the times, nothing happened and they would just go back home exhausted. But, there were times where they stopped a couple of robberies and even prevented some accidents from happening; all because they were on the right place at the right time. Still, that consumed a lot of energy from them, and though their kwamis and their magic gave them an extra boost of power and energy to do it, on the following morning, they would still feel tired and sore.

“I know you didn’t exactly agreed with that, but believe me, I wouldn’t have asked you and the rest of the guys to do it, if I didn’t felt it was necessary.” -Marinette told her. –“Besides, Master Fu said that this could serve as training, since we’ve cut back a little on the training after classes.”

She knew she was right, but even so, the fact that she had to go on patrol every single night for at least an hour, was not how she liked to spend part of her night. Sighing, she said:

“Maybe… but that doesn’t mean I have to like it.” -she said. –“But, let’s forget about that, okay? We came for a walk, so you could find inspiration. Have you found it?”

“No… I keep looking around, but, nothing seems to catch my eye.”

“Maybe, you should look for it on another place.” -Tikki suggested.

“She’s right. Maybe we should go somewhere else.” -Alya said.

“But where?” -Marinette asked them.

“Wherever our feet take us.” -Alya said. –“We started like that, we might as well go all the way like that.” -she smiled.

When the kwamis finished their ice cream, they went back into their respective hiding spots in the backpacks, as the girls put them back on. Letting their feet choose the way, the girls kept following the Seine, and soon found themselves near the Petit Palais. Designed by Charles Girault, and built for the 1900 World Fair, it housed the Museum of Fine Arts. Seeing it, Alya suggested to Marinette that they could go inside, but the blue-haired girl did not feel she would find the inspiration she needed in that museum. As they neared the Alexander the III bridge, they were surprised to see some familiar faces. On the left side of it, were three of their friends, Alix Kubdel, Lê Chiên Kim and Alya’s boyfriend, Nino Lahife. Waving at them, Marinette said.

“Hey, guys!”

 Hearing her voice, the three of them turned to wave at her, as the girls neared them.

“Hey, girls! What are you doing here?” -Nino asked, as Alya placed a small peck on his lips.

“Marinette needs to find some inspiration, so I volunteered to come with her. What about you? I thought you were going to stay home studying.” -Alya asked Nino.

“And I was, but then Kim and Alix here called me saying they had a crazy idea and they needed my help to make it happen.” -Nino told her.

“So, you decided to come.” -Marinette said. –“And what is that idea?”

The three of them explained them that Alix had seen a poster advertising a contest for the most radical video, where the winners would appear as guests in the next stunt video from the French radical sports superstar Lucas Puig. The idea was to create a video where both Kim and Alix would be competing against one another, while doing extreme manoeuvres in their rollerblades, as well as bikes and skateboards.

“So, basically, it’s a video with the two of you doing what you do most of the times, when you’re competing against one another.” -Marinette said.

“Pretty much, yeah.” -Kim waved his head.

“Except that in the video, we’ll be starting as rivals, but then, as the video progresses, we decide to join forces, because we find out that we’re both trying an insane manoeuvre that can’t be done alone… it will be our way to say “Together, we’re stronger.”, or something like that.” -Alix said.

“Sounds cool. And you’re going to shoot all of that today?” -Marinette asked.

“No, just a bit of it. We still have a couple of weeks, so we’ll do it over the course of several days.” -Kim told her.

“Well, you guys are the best when it comes to radical sports, I’m sure you guys are going to win first prize with your manoeuvres.” -Alya declared. –“Too bad you can’t transform and use your powers to spice things up… Speaking of which, where are your kwamis?” -she asked them, not seeing Wayzz, Daria or Imp with them.

“Oh, they’re up there.” -Alix pointed to one of the columns where the Fames rested. –“We were on our way to start shooting, when they told us they wanted to see the statues from up-close, so we let them.”

Up on one of the golden statues, the three kwamis, Daria, Imp and Wayzz were both admiring not only the statue they were on top of, but the view as well. Having been confined into either their holders’ rooms, or their backpacks, while they were in school, the kwamis had had not the chance to actually see just how much Paris had changed in person. They had seen it either on television, or on the Internet, or even on books, but it was not the same as seeing it first-hand.

“This is really awesome.” -Daria said.

“It’s a city like all the others.” -Imp said.

“How can you say that? Every town or village we saw over the millenniums was different form one another. You can pretty much say that there weren’t two alike.” -Wayzz declared. –“And furthermore, each one of them had an essence of its own. Paris may have changed physically, but its essence, it’s still the same as it was when we were activated a couple of centuries ago.

“You’ve always been too philosophical for your own good, you know that?” -Imp told him.

“Perhaps, but that doesn’t mean I’m wrong, you know?” -Wayzz declared.

“I don’t care which one of you is right or wrong. I just want to enjoy this view.” -Daria told them both, while admiring the view that was in front of them.         

Back on the ground, the conversation regarding Alix and Kim’s attempt at stardom was getting more interesting by the minute, with all of them contributing ideas for the video. Feeling excited about it, Alix decided to show Alya and Marinette her new rollerblades.

“I can’t wait to try on these new rollerblades.” -Alix said, as she opened her backpack and took out her new rollerblades. They were a pair of green and black K2 F.I.T. Pro-84 Inline Skates, with red and platinum wheels. -“I practically had to beg my mom to convince my dad to buy them for me, but it was worth it. Latest model… they’re so beautiful that I bet a person could even wear these on a fashion show and still look fashionable.” -she joked about it.

When Alix said that, something inside Marinette’s mind went off. Like always, she had found the inspiration she was looking for in the most unlikely of places… Alix’s rollerblades.

“That’s it!!!!” -Marinette exclaimed.

“What?” -Nino asked.

“I found the inspiration I was looking for!” -Marinette exclaimed, excited. –“You and Kim are going to be my inspirational models for this afternoon.” -she told Alix.

“What do you mean?” -Alix asked.

“I’m going to base my newest fashion project on the two of you.” -Marinette told her. –“All I need is for you to do what you were planning to do and leave the rest to my sketchbook and pencil.” -she said. It was clear to all of them that the blue-haired girl was excited about the idea she had come up with and its possibilities.

“Well, okay, but you know that we aren’t going to stand still for a second, right?” -Kim asked her.

“I know that, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. I work better when my models are moving freely.” -Marinette admitted.

“Then, what are we waiting for? Do you know where you’re going to film the video, yet?” -Alya asked them.

“Yeah, the Place du Trocadéro, in front of the Eiffel Tower.” -Alix said.

“Then, we better get going. It’s still a small stretch until there.” -Alya declared, as she checked her watch.

“Not if we take the underground.” -Nino said, as he signalled Wayzz to come back. The turtle kwami had been paying attention to him and the rest on the ground, while Daria and Imp enjoyed themselves.

Telling them to come, the three kwamis quickly flew down, where they all said hi to Marinette and Alya, and their kwamis, before hiding themselves on their holders’ backpacks. Making their way to the nearest underground station, Nino felt like saying something it popped right into his mind.   

“Here’s a little bit of trivia for you all… did you know that this very same bridge served as the location for the final confrontation between Anastasia Romanov and Rasputin in the animated movie Anastasia?”

“I think we’ve all seen that movie, Nino.” -Alya chuckled. –“Besides, if I wanted to hear trivia, how would have asked Max to come and meet us. He’s our nerd, after all.” -she said. The fact of Max being a nerd and knowing things that most people usually did not even remember about, was just one of the things that made them like having him around.

“Perhaps, but that doesn’t mean I can’t be a nerd when it comes to movies.” -Nino told her, as he placed his arm around Alya’s shoulders, and placed a kiss on her left cheek, making her giggle.  

“Would you two get a room?” -Trixx said, making everyone laugh.

“Trixx! That’s not something you should say out loud!” -Wayzz told her. Being one of the politest and well-mannered kwamis, the turtle kwami did not like to hear others using language he deemed too vulgar.

“It’s okay, Wayzz.” -Nino told him. –“You don’t have to get so worked up about it.”   

* * *

The Place du Trocadéro was known for being one of the best viewpoints in all of Paris, especially if you wanted to get a good look at the Eiffel Tower and the Champ de Mars, as well as taking a couple of photos. But, it was also known for being a place where you could come and spend an afternoon playing on the adjacent garden, while admiring the impressive fountains that were always squirting water into the air, and for those who practiced radical sports it was a meeting point. And on that sunny afternoon, skaters and traceurs had gathered on that site, along with hundreds of tourists who were visiting, to practice their stunts and their tricks. Among them were Alix Kubdel and Lê Chiên Kim, who unknown to the public, were actually Dragonfly and Antelope, two of the members of the Miraculous Team. The two had always been very competitive and each went to great lengths to prove oneself better than the other. But, ever since they had become heroes, that rivalry had evolved to something stronger than that, and they were always there to support one another. With the help of Nino, they were going to start filming the video that could be their ticket to the world of sports.

Though they had agreed they would start with their rollerblade stunts, Nino suggested that they could start by showing off some parkour moves.

“Okay, I was thinking. Maybe you two could start with going down the stairs, jumping a couple of steps at the time, and then, do a backflip or a somersault either to the front or to the side, ending with a cool pose.” -Nino suggested.

“I like that.” -Kim said. –“Hey, I know, we could also throw maybe a couple of martial arts moves to the mix.”

“Yeah, pretending that we are fighting each other.” -Alix agreed.                   

While Nino coordinated both Kim and Alix, Alya took out her iPad and started tinkering with her blog once more. She had made that blog her mission and was quite happy she did that, because it gave her purpose, as well as putting her in touch with the growing community that followed the team’s movements. At first, she thought that the Miraculous Blog would be just one of thousands dedicated to the superhero team. But as weeks went by, she was surprised with the amount of people who visited it and sent her news, photos and even art; it was so much that she was thinking Max, Nino and herself would not be enough to properly administer the blog, without making its quality decline. The blog was not just a blog, it was the blog to find out things about the Miraculous Team.

“ _Hmmm…. Grizzly Bear sighted near Montparnasse Tower._ ” -Alya read to herself, as she opened a file with a photo taken with a cell phone, which depicted Ivan in his superhero form. –“ _And… Flamingo and Corbeau Noire spotted on top of the Moulin Rouge… looks like Rose and Juleka are continuing to patrol together._ ” -she thought, as she opened the other file, showing a photo with the girls.  

She also checked the poll Max had posted on the blog, asking the people to vote on who they thought was the coolest superhero on the team. The answers were evenly balanced, though there were two heroes who had more votes than the others, Ladybug and Chat Noir.

“ _Looks like the two of them are going up ahead, but not by much._ ” -she read. –“ _I guess people still don’t know us well enough to choose a favourite. That reminds me, I must find the time to film a couple of interviews with us, to post online._ ”     

As for Marinette, she took a seat on the stone steps, with her sketchbook in her hands, observing her friends. As Nino recorded their stunts, she sketched several drawings. Some of them were full concepts of clothes inspired by what she saw them doing, while others were just simple sketches of either a sweater, a vest, a dress, or even a pair of shoes. The kwamis, who sat on Marinette’s lap as she sketched, were all impressed with her talent. As she drew, they commented on the concepts and applauded her. Still, as much as she liked to hear them saying nice things about her work, she had to keep telling them to act like dolls when people were near her, to not to reveal their existence.

“This is really good Marinette.” -Tikki said.

“Have you ever thought about making clothes for kwamis?” -Daria asked her. –“Because I would awesome with a beanie like that.”

“No, I’ve never thought about it before.” -Marinette chuckled. –“But I might do it, if you guys want to.”

“Oh, Marinette, you don’t have to.” -Wayzz said. –“There’s no need for you to waste your time on such trivial things, when you can

“Trust me, it may be a little trivial, but that doesn’t mean I won’t like it. It’s just like when I sew clothes for the dolls I give Manon for her to play when I babysit her. I’ll just have to make them a little smaller, that’s all.” -Marinette told him. –“Besides, it’ll be a chance for me to try sewing new kinds of clothes, and you guys will look cool in them.”

“If you’re going to do that, then, I’d like a scarf.” -Imp said.

“Scarf, check.” -Marinette said, as she wrote it down on her sketchbook. –“I’ll have to ask the others what they would like.” -she thought to herself, as Alya, still holding her iPad, sat next to her. –“So, how’s the blog?”

“Busy.” -Alya smirked. –“You wouldn’t imagine the amount of messages that we’ve received with either fanart or photos taken by people who spotted us during patrol.”

“Any of mine?” -Marinette asked her.

“Yeah, we got more than one from you, but the best one was one of you on top of the Louvre pyramid, which according to the person who sent it, was taken yesterday.” -Alya told her.

“Oh, yeah, I made a pass by the Louvre yesterday, while on patrol.” -Marinette said. –“What about you? Any photos or sightings from you?”

“Just one, over Père-Lachaise… and it shouldn’t even count as a sighting, because they only caught my tail on the photo.” -Alya chuckled.  

“You’re too quick for the camera, girl.” -Trixx declared.

“Indeed.” -Alya said. –“But tell me, how’s the sketching session coming up?”

“Amazingly well. Thanks to both Alix and Kim, I already have a ton of ideas for this new project of mine.” -Marinette told her. –“Look, it’s both fashionable and casual.” -she said, as she showed one of the sketches to Alya, who just like the kwamis, was impressed by her best friend’s talent.

“These look great. I would wear one of these in a heartbeat, girl.” -Alya said, imagining herself wearing the leather jacket Marinette had sketched.

“If you want to, this could be your birthday present in a couple of months.” -Marinette told her. It would not be the first time she gave something she would have created with her own hands as a birthday gift to one of her friends. She knew she could just buy something already made, but she felt it was so much more fun to create the present herself, which she usually did, putting extra love in it.

“Oh, you don’t have to do it, Marinette.”

“I insist. You’ll be the proud owner of this jacket.” -Marinette told her, as Alya gave her a hug.

“Marinette, you’re the sweetest and kindest person I know.” -Alya told her.

“That’s what I keep telling her, but she doesn’t believe me.” -Tikki declared.

“I may be talented, but I’m not a big and important fashion designer like Adrien’s dad, for example.”

“Not yet, you aren’t. But you will be, one day.” -Alya declared. –“And believe me, when I tell you that when that day comes, I’ll be telling you “I told you so”, Marinette.”

Marinette blushed lightly, after hearing those comments from Alya. She was happy her best-friend believed that one day she would achieve one of her dreams, which was to become a world-renowned fashion designer. She was about to say something, when they heard something hit the ground pretty hard. It had been Kim. While attempting a somersault from the top of a wall, he miscalculated the height, and ended landing on his back.  

“Kim!” -Marinette exclaimed, dropping everything and running towards her friend, followed by Alya and the kwamis, who upon seeing Kim on the floor reacted instinctively, forgetting about the fact they were out in the open and could be seen by people.   

“Ouch! My back…” -Kim moaned, as he tried not to move a muscle. He’d hit the ground really hard, but luckily, his back absorbed the full impact, and not his head. Still, even knowing that fact, his pain was no lesser.  

“Are you okay?” -Nino asked him.

“I’ll be fine.” -he groaned, as he attempted to get up, only to be stopped by his kwami.

“Don’t move. You’re not as tough as you are when you’re transformed.” -Imp warned him. It was clear by his tone, that he was worried about Kim.  

“I’m okay, Imp. I didn’t break anything… at least, I think I haven’t.” -Kim told his kwami, as he slowly moved his arms and legs, as well as his back, proving he was indeed okay.  

“That was one nasty fall, Kim.” -Alix told him, worried that he had hurt himself pulling that las stunt. –“Are you sure you’re okay?”

“I’m fine, don’t worry. I’m tougher than I look.” -he told her. Kim did not say it, but he was happy that Alix cared about him.

“Maybe we should call it a day. I already have enough footage of you two practicing parkour.” -Nino said, as he checked his camera.

“No way… I’m fit as fiddle.” –Kim said, as he tried to get up, only to have stinging pain in his back to strike him, and force him to lay down.

“Careful there! You’re not indestructible, remember?” -Imp told him.

“Okay, maybe, I’m a little sore right now. But give me a couple of minutes, and I’ll be alright. I can still skate, and we’re going to film me beating the crud out of Alix here.” -Kim said with a cocky voice.

“In your dreams, Kim!” -Alix shot at him. –“You’ll never beat me in a race. Besides, if I accepted racing against you right now, it wouldn’t be fair, because you’re injured.” -she told him. She was not going to admit it in front of him, but she was worried about Kim. It had been a nasty fall.  

“I already told you, I’ll be fine.” -Kim told her.

“Stand down. Don’t let him move, guys. I’ll just put on my rollerblades, and I’ll go see if I can find you some ice for your back.” -Alix told him. –“You guys, make sure he doesn’t move, okay?”

“Alright.” -Alya said.

“You need to stand still, Kim. That was one nasty fall.” -Marinette said. –“Even we felt it, and we were like 10 meters away from you.”

“At least he didn’t land on his head.” -Tikki said.

“Maybe we should call an ambulance, or take him to a doctor.” -Nino suggested. –“For what we know, he might have sprained or broken something and not realizing it.”

“I told you, already, I didn’t break anything.” -Kim went on.

“Well, I’m not a doctor, but perhaps I can help.” -a voice was heard saying it. Turning around, they saw Master Fu smiling at them.  

“Master! What are you doing here?” –Daria asked him.

“I came for a walk, and I happened to see you… of course, that was before I saw Kim here, lying on the ground.” -the old man said with a mildly amused voice. –“That was one big fall, my dear boy.”

“That’s what we’re telling him, Master Fu. I’m going to go and get him some ice for his back.” -Alix told him, as she finished putting on her rollerblades.

“Hold on, my dear. First things first.” -Master Fu said, as he kneeled beside Kim, who was still lying on the floor. –“We need to see just how hurt he is, so we know if he needs something cold or hot to help him with his pains.” -he declared, as he examined Kim. Using his fingertips, he gently applied pressure over his limbs, chest and then, his back. After a couple of seconds, Master Fu had determined just how Kim was–“The good news is that you didn’t break anything… the bad news is that you shouldn’t move for at least half an hour, until the swelling on your back gets a chance to disappear. Ice will definitely help, Alix.”

“If you say so, Master, I’ll be back in a flash with it.” -Alix said, as she rolled out of there, followed by her kwami, Daria, who held himself to Alix’s right shoulder.

“Try not to fall on the way yourself, okay?” -Marinette warned her. –“ _One of us in this state is already bad enough. We don’t need anyone to get hurt._ ” -she thought to herself.

“Don’t worry, Imp. He’ll be fine.” -Master Fu told the kwami, who was now standing on top of Kim’s chest. –“Bur, next time, may I suggest that maybe you can leave those tricks for when you’re transformed?” -the old man told him, trying to raise his spirits.

“I might take that advice next time… ouch, this is going to hurt in the morning.” -Kim sighed.

“Don’t worry. Tonight, you just transform to go on patrol, and you’ll feel as good as new.”- Imp told him.

“And if you think that won’t be enough, after you can walk again, I invite you for a tea at my place. I have a tea that will help you with the pains.” -Master Fu told him.


	3. Night Patrol

The Sun had already set in the horizon when Reptile made his back to Hawk Moth’s lair. Venturing over the sewer system, he quickly changed back into his true aspect. The fowl stench in the air was causing him nauseas, and soon he cursed his idea of using the sewers to get faster to the lair.

“What stench… next time, I’m taking the longer path. At least, it doesn’t stench.” -Reptile said, as he kept advancing through the disgusting sewer tunnel.

After a while, he arrived at the lair, where he saw Madame Romani alone. Hawk Moth was nowhere to be seen, which probably meant that he was still in his private chambers and wished not to be disturbed. Ever since Gargantua had been defeated, that he spent most of his time there. He would only come out to check on any progress Reptile or Madame Romani had made when on mission. They did not know what he was doing while inside, but they know that they should not disturb him, unless it was absolutely necessary.     

“Welcome back.” -Madame Romani welcomed him–“Phew, you stink.”

“Don’t need you to tell me that.” -Reptile snarled. He knew he smelled terribly.

“How’s the surveillance coming? Have you managed to locate the master’s next target?” -she asked him, as she finished doing her nails.

“Not yet, but I’m quite close.” -he told her. She could tell by his confident voice that he really believed that. 

“That’s what you said about it last night, and the night before that one, and the night before that one too.”

“Are you questioning my abilities to carry out this mission?!”

“And why would I do that?” -Madame Romani told him, sarcastically. –“Oh, yes, because you’re an idiot! I should have been the one carrying out this mission!”

“Well, too bad, because the master chose me to do it.” -Reptile shot at her. Just like everyone else, she also looked at him as someone inferior to her, and that made his blood boil.

“That doesn’t mean you’ll accomplish it.”

“And I suppose you would do better than me?”

“I know I would do better. Instead of just using those stupid powers of yours to be anyone you want to be, I would use my illusions to create friction among people and thus, give the master not one, but multiple subjects for his plans.”

“You talk big, but I don’t see you doing anything other than doing your nails!”

Madame Romani had heard enough from Reptile and was about to conjure a fire ball and through at it at the lizard man, when suddenly, Hawk Moth’s chamber’s doors opened, slamming themselves against the walls, and the villain himself appeared, shouting:

“SILENCE!!!!”

Hawk Moth’s scream silenced both his minions. His cold, almost phantasmagorical light-blue eyes, stared both Reptile and Madame Romani, making them feel both uncomfortable and terrified.  

“M-Master…” -Reptile stuttered, as he tried to apologize.

“What is going on?” -Hawk Moth asked them with a rather calm and serene tone. If they had not heard him screaming on tops of his lungs, a few seconds before, both Reptile and Madame Romani would have never believed it was the same man.

“I-I’ve come back, master…” -Reptile went on.

“I can see that…” -the villain told him, with a voice devoid of any kind of feeling. –“Have you managed to find someone whom I can use my Akuma butterflies on?”

“I’m afraid not, master.” -Reptile said. –“But it won’t take long now, I promise you.”

“If you’d given me this mission, master, I would have already found you an army of possible targets by now.” -Madame Romani exclaimed.

“I don’t doubt you would have, but I gave this mission to Reptile, not you. It’s his job to complete it, not yours.”

“Yes, master.”

“Don’t make me come out of my chambers to silence you both again, or next time, I will cut off your tongues and feed them to the sewer rats. Understood?!” -he said in a low, menacing voice, which made Madame Romani and Reptile’s blood freeze. –“And you, Reptile, find me someone suitable to be akumatized fast… I want to those pesky kids killed, and I can’t do that without a new akuma. I don’t care how you do it, but do it, otherwise you’ll regret failing me.” -he said, slamming the doors behind him.

Slamming the doors behind him, Hawk Moth left both his lieutenants to their thoughts.

“ _He better find someone to be akumatized soon, or otherwise, I fear that the master will unleash his wrath on us._ ” -Madame Romani told herself.

“ _I must find a target and fast… Master Hawk Moth is counting on me, and I must not fail him._ ” -Reptile thought to himself.

* * *

While the villains argued among themselves, Adrien Agreste was making his way back home. His father was forced to stay longer to oversee some details regarding some last-minute changes to the next day’s show, but seeing his son absolutely exhausted, he ordered his bodyguard to take him home, so he could get something to eat and have a good night’s rest. As soon as he got home, Adrien took a quick shower, changed is clothes and then, came down to the kitchen where the chef served him a light meal. After finishing it, while the chef was not looking, he went to the refrigerator and grabbed a piece of Camembert and took it with him. Plagg was going to be extra happy with that piece of cheese, because it smelled even worse than usual; Adrien was convinced that that Camembert was an older kind of Camembert. Still, he did not care. As long as Plagg liked it, it was fine by him. As soon as he opened his bedroom door, the intense and stinking smell of the piece of Camembert attracted Plagg, who lost no time going to Adrien’s encounter, begging him to have the delicious treat.

“Come on, give it to me, Adrien! I can smell it, and it smells so gooooooooooooood!” -the black cat kwami begged the blond.

“Alright, alright, you cheese lover cat. Here, take it.” -Adrien handed him the Camembert.

“Mmmm, delicious! This is top quality. Just by its smell, I’d say this particular Camembert is at least 6 months old. I can only imagine what it will like.” -Plagg said, as he inhaled the intense smell of the cheese.

“Couldn’t you eat another kind of cheese that doesn’t stink?”

“I could say the same thing about those stinky paprika-flavoured chips you enjoy eating so much.” -Plagg shot at him. –“Not only they stink, but they also have an awful taste.”  

“Keep saying that and next time, you can go and get your Camembert from the kitchen yourself.” -Adrien told the kwami, as he threw himself onto the couch.  

“And you think I won’t? That chef your father hired is a great cook, but he lacks attention. If a burglar entered in his kitchen to steal whatever it was on the fridge, while he was distracted cooking, he could do it while dancing the Tango, that he wouldn’t even notice it!” -Plagg joked, as he took a bite from the Camembert. –“Mmmm… delicious!!!”

“If you say so.”

“Hey, are you going to play something?” -Plagg asked him, as he took another bite out of the cheese.

“Yeah, I need to decompress a little.” -he said, as he grabbed the joystick of his PS2.

“Can I join? You know I love to play against you.” -the kwami declared, as he gulped the rest of the Camembert.

“Okay, but no cheating.” -Adrien told him, as he grabbed the second joystick, and placed it next to him.

“I never cheat!” -Plagg protested.

“Says you.” -Adrien joked.

After a couple of matches, Adrien went to bed, so he could wake up early in the morning. Still, he could not sleep. His body was begging him for a good night’s sleep, but his mind did the exact opposite. Tossing and turning, he finally gave up and just got up. Heading to the bathroom, he splashed some water on his face, when Plagg showed up.

“Can’t sleep?” -Plagg asked him, as he landed on the washbasin.

“Yes. I’m tired, but for some reason, I can’t fall asleep.” -Adrien told him.

“Why don’t you go downstairs and drink a glass of warm milk? That always works for me.” -Plagg said, as he began hovering in front of him once more. 

“Not a big fan of milk, and besides, that trick never worked me, even when I was a little kid.” -Adrien told him. –“The only way I could get to sleep was if my mom sang to me.” -he declared, remembering the times his mother sang “Twinkle, Twinkle, Littler Star” or

“You want me to try and sing something for you?”

“Thanks, but no. I’ve heard you sing before, and it’s not a pleasant experience, Plagg.”

“Real talent is never appreciated.” -Plagg told him.

“You know what? I told you earlier that we weren’t going on patrol until the end of the fashion week, but… but I feel like going for a walk, you know?”

“Well, then what are you waiting for? Just say the magic words, and let’s go.”

“Not before I lock down my door. We wouldn’t want anyone to enter here and not seeing me in bed.” -Adrien said, as he went to lock the door. –“There, we’re good to go. Plagg, transforme moi!”

With those words, Adrien Agreste became the elusive and always joyful member of the Miraculous Team, Chat Noir. Like it happened every time he did it, the transformation granted him a boost of energy that made every pain or soreness he had on his body magically disappear. Taking a moment to admire his reflection on the window, he could not help but to let out one of his corny one-liners.

“Chat, you look pawsome tonight.” -he said, letting a laugh, and winking at himself.

Opening the window, he quickly used his staff to jump the wall and found himself on the street. Using the staff once more, he jumped to the top of a nearby lamp post, and used it to make the jump to the top of a nearby building. Once on top of it, he let his instincts tell him where to go. As he ran through the rooftops, the wind stroke his face. Though the day had been quite warm, the night was slightly chilly, signalizing that Autumn was already here. Still, Chat did not dislike the cold. He loved the summer, but he considered himself a winter person. Even when he was little, the cold never bothered him. He would usually take off his jacket and put it around his waist, when his parents were not seeing, only to have them telling him to put it back on, so he would not catch a cold. The thoughts about the time when his mother was still alive, and his father was not such a distant man, made Chat lose touch with reality for a bit. When his thoughts made, him come down to Earth once more, he saw himself on an unfamiliar place. His first immediate thought was to see where the Eiffel Tower was to guide himself, because one could pretty much see it for miles; no matter where in Paris one was. Looking around, he saw the tower fully illuminated to his left at a distance. A closer look, made him realize that he was near the Gare d’Ivry-sur-Seine, or at least, that was what he could read on one of the exit markers outside of the building.  

“ _Whoa, I guess I took a longer walk than I wanted to._ ” -he told himself. –“ _Well, since I’m here, might as well take a look around, and see if everything is alright._ ”

Coming down the building, he went for a quick run around the block, avoiding be spotted by those that were on the street. He did not felt like giving autographs or posing for photos, in case someone asked, plus, that would make an excellent stealth exercise. Making use of the both his black outfit and the shadows, Chat Noir easily managed to pass completely unnoticed. It felt good to try his stealth abilities outside the training grounds of the Garden of the Ancients. Not only there were a lot more options of where he could hide himself, but the rush of being caught by anyone, made it a challenge worthy of the world’s best ninja. When he felt, he had seen everything, he decided to go back up. Using the reliefs on a building’s front, he quickly climbed it, when he stopped in front of a window that still had the lights on. In it, looking out was a little girl. She was probably 6 or 7 years old, had raven-black hair caught in a loose ponytail and was wearing a light-blue nightshirt. Having been caught, Chat did the only thing he could think of… he waved at her.  

“Ah… hello.” -he said with the biggest grin he ever made.

“You’re Chat Noir!” -the little girl exclaimed, as she opened the window, almost making the young hero fall. Luckily, his sharp-claws stopped him from falling. –“I can’t believe you’re here! What are you doing here?”

“Whoa, slow down, okay? One question at a time.” -Chat said, as he sat on the ledge, always smiling. –“Yes, I’m here, and I’m on patrol. Me and my friends are always making sure that everything is alright, so people like you can sleep well, knowing there are no monsters or bad guys out there.”

“That sounds so cool.”

“Thanks. By the way, I haven’t even asked your name…”

“Maxine. Maxine Delacour.” -the little girl answered.

“Well, then, it’s a pleasure to meet you, Maxine.” -Chat said. –“But, a young girl like you should be in bed, by now. What are you doing up this late?”

“I’m waiting for my mommy to arrive from work. She works at the hospital. She helps people.” -Maxine said.

“Really? And where’s your dad? He’s at work too?”

“No… he died when I was 2.” -she said with a gloomy voice. –“It’s just me and my mom. When she’s at work, I stay with Mrs. Bredoteau, our neighbour. I had dinner with her, and then, she brought me home to sleep.”

“And do you think your mom would want you to be up this late, when you should be sleeping? Tomorrow is a school day.”

“No…” -she told him.

“Well, then, I think it’s best you go back to bed. Come on, I’ll tuck you in.” -Chat said, as he entered the room.

“Okay, but before that… can I take a picture with you? I’ve got my cell phone right here.” -Maxine said, as she went and grabbed her cell phone. –“Mom tells me that I can only use it in case of an emergency…”

“Well, I bet she’ll understand. It’s not every day you get to know a superhero.” -Chat told her. –“Okay, let’s take this photo. Here, let me do it so it comes out really pawsome.”

That comment made little Maxine giggle, as Chat posed for the photo, along with her. With the photo taken, he helped her climb up to the bed and tucked her in.

“Well, comfy?”

“Yes.” -Maxine answered, always smiling. –“Thanks for taking a photo with me.”

“Anytime.” -he winked at her.

“Will I see you again?”

“Maybe. Who knows? Would you like me to come and visit you from time to time?” -Chat asked her with a serious look in his face.

“No, I know you, and Ladybug and the rest of your friends have to fight against that bad Hawk Moth and protect Paris, and if you’re visiting me, you can’t do that.” -Maxine told him. –“But, if you could, next time you’re on TV, you could do something, like making a signal or a move that would mean that you’re saying hello to me.”

“A signal? You mean, like a secret signal that only the two of us would know about?” -Chat asked her, to which she waved her head. –“Well, how about I wink my right eye to the camera? Would that do?”

“Yes.” -she smiled.

“Okay, then. Next time I’m on TV, when I wink my right eye, it’ll be me saying hi to you, okay?” -Chat promised her. –“Now, I better get going. You sleep well, okay? -he said, as he turned her off the light from her bedside lamp.

“Goodbye, Chat Noir.”

“Goodbye, Maxine.” -he said, as he exited out the window, closing it behind him.

* * *

As he ran back towards the centre of the city, Chat Noir kept thinking on how much that little girl’s life mirrored his own life. She had lost her father when she was just 2 years old, her mother spent her time at work and she had to spend her time with one of the neighbours… he, he had lost his mother when he was little too, his father had become distant since then, taking refuge in his work, and he had to be constantly watched either by his bodyguard or by his father’s secretary. But, that was not the only thing on his mind… the promise he had made her was also part of his thoughts. He would have to keep it, not only because she had asked him, but also because his mother had taught him to always keep his promises, no matter how hard they seemed.

Still, those thoughts disappeared, when he was passing by the Panthéon and something caught his attention. Located in the Latin Quartier, it was built in the 18th century as a church dedicated to St. Genevieve and to house the reliquary châsse containing her relics, but, nowadays it serves as a secular mausoleum for some of the most distinguished French citizens like Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Pierre and Marie Curie, Victor Hugo, Émile Zola, to name a few. It was also one of the best location in the quartier to have a good sight of everything that was going on in it. And on that night, someone was using it as an advanced vantage point. Slightly hidden by the building’s pediment, was Jade turtle, observing the street. Seeing him, he used his staff to take him to where he was, landing next to him, which startled the turtle hero.     

“Hey, Touché Turtle!” -Chat Noir greeted Jade Turtle.

“Whoa! Didn’t expect you to show up today, Sylvester.” -Jade Turtle greeted Chat Noir. The two of them decided to grant humorous nicknames to one another, based on cartoon characters. Still, they only addressed to one another like that when they were alone.

“I wasn’t going to go out tonight, but I just couldn’t sleep.”

“I can relate to that. Pizza? I bought it before I came up on patrol.”

“Why not? Pepperoni?”

“And mushrooms. You know I won’t eat anything else on a pizza.”

“Don’t mind if I do.” -Chat said, as he grabbed a slice of the still warm pizza. –“How was your day?”

“Interesting, but I want to hear about yours first. Was it rough?”

 “A little… the only good thing about it was that I had the visit of… should we talk about this here? I mean, call me paranoid, but what if someone hears us?”

 “I doubt it. We’re alone here, and unless that pigeon over there is a microphone in disguise, I think we can even address to one another by our real names, bro.”

“Point taken. Still, just to be on the safe side, let’s get a bit higher.”

“No sweat, I totally get it.” -Jade Turtle said, as he grabbed the pizza.

Climbing to the top of the Panthéon, the two of them sat on the cross that was on top of the building’s dome. While eating the pizza, Chat Noir told Jade Turtle about his day, and how the only good thing about it was that he had the quick visit from Chloé and Sabrina who cheered him up a little, before he had to go back to his dressing room and pretty much spend the rest of the day in there, all because his father insisted on having him around, but did not let him walk around alone. He decided to leave his encounter with Maxine out of the conversation, wanting to keep that particular event just for himself. As for Jade Turtle, he told him about what had happened to Kim while shooting the video

“Ouch, that must have hurt.” -Chat said, as he nibbled the pizza.

“And it did. Kim didn’t want to show it, but it was clear to anyone who was there that he was in pain. Thank God Master Fu happened to be passing by knew what to do.”

“That Master Fu shows up whenever we need him the most… do you think it’s a trick he has, or…”

“No idea. But I wouldn’t be surprised.” –Jade Turtle said. –“That old man is like a box of surprises. You never know what else is in it.”

“At least he was there to help.” -Chat said. –“But, you were saying that Kim was pretending he wasn’t in pain. Why did he do that?”

“I think he just pretended not to have any pains to impress Alix.” -Jade Turtle told him.

“I can imagine him doing that. He won’t admit it, but he’s head over heels for Alix.” -Chat Noir chuckled.

“Just like she is head over heels for him. I mean, they spend their time competing against one another, and for why? Because deep down, they know they love each other, but haven’t found the way to express those feelings.”

“You sound like a shrink right now, you know that?”

“Well, let’s just say that a certain girl may have been forced me to watch Anger Management with Adam Sandler and Jack Nicholson, and I might have picked up a couple of things from it.” -Jade Turtle admitted.

“It’s official, she owns you, bro.”

“And I own her.” -Jade Turtle chuckled. –“In a way, we both own one another. That’s how relationships work. But what about you? Aren’t you going to ask a certain blue-haired girl on a date?”

“Well, if you remember well, we already went on a date.” -Chat Noir told him, remembering their trip to the movies, along with the rest of the class.

“Oh, come on, that one doesn’t count. It was supposed to be just the two of you, with me and my girl serving as a double date, so you could be more relaxed while next to her, and in the end, the whole class decided to come along for the ride. –he told Chat Noir. –“You’ve got to ask her out again, and this time, going on a proper date with her. You know, take her to dinner, then going to the movies, and after that, go for a walk with her, before taking her home and if she’s in the mood, even share a kiss, with the promise of a second date.”

“Did you just describe the clichéd version of just about every single first date?” -Chat joked.

“Maybe, but you know that romance is a but cliché, whether we like it or not.” -Jade Turtle told him, making the feline laugh.

“Can’t argue with that.” -Chat told him.

“By the way, on another subject, do you think we really need to do these night patrols? I mean, I don’t dislike the idea and all, but I don’t think Hawk Moth likes to go out at night. He doesn’t seem like the kind of person who would enjoy going out for a drink, while searching for the next person or thing to akumatize and throw at us.” -Jade Turtle told him, as he finished the last slice of pizza. 

“Indeed. He doesn’t look like the kind of guy who does that. I would prefer we didn’t have to do this, especially because we have school in the morning. But, if that keeps us from having to endure a couple of training hours in the Garden of the Ancients, I won’t complain.” -Chat Noir said.

“Yeah, that I agree. I love sparring and training with you guys, but… hey, did you hear that?!” -Jade Turtle exclaimed, as he heard a noise from afar that caught his attention.

“It sounded like a car alarm.” -Chat said. –“Could be someone who forgot his car keys inside the car.”

“Or, it could be someone robbing a car. Let’s check it out.” -Jade Turtle told him, as they started to descend form the top of the Pantheon.

Even though it was not their duty to take care of robbers and regular thieves, the whole team felt that just because they had to deal with hawk Moth and his minions, that did not mean they could not lend a helping hand to the police. They quickly located the origin of the alarm and like they suspected, it was a robbery. Three hooded thugs with crowbars and possibly armed with a couple more things like razor blades, or worst; the kind of people that should be behind bars. Looking at each other, they silently agreed to take them on by the front. They could take them on silently and safely by using jade Turtle’s abilities, but on that night, they were both itching for a fight. Besides, three thugs would be piece of cake, when compared to Gargantua or Reptile and Madame Romani.

“You take the one on the left, I’ll take the one on the right.” -Chat Noir told Jade Turtle.

“And the one in the middle?” -Jade Turtle asked.

“Whoever beats his assigned target first, gets it. How’s that?”

“Fine with me. Let’s screw up these guys’ night, bro.”

Jumping from the top of the building, both Chat Noir and Jade Turtle landed in front of the assailants, pulled out their weapons and got ready to start to party.

“Well, well, well, look what the cat dragged in.” -Chat Noir

“It’s those weirdoes!”

“Uh, excuse me, these weirdoes have names, you know? He’s Chat Noir and I’m Jade Turtle.”

“And we have a question for you… do you want to do this the easy way, or the hard way? I hope you choose the second one… please, give me a reason to kick your butts.”

Hearing that, one of the assailants dropped the crowbar and pulled out a switchblade, pointing it at the two heroes.

“Let’s waste these freaks!” -one of the thugs said.

“Oh, I’m going to enjoy kicking your butts” -Chat Noir told them, as he pointed his staff at them. –“Come on, who wants to go first?”.

The three of them attacked at the same time. Still, the three of them were no match for the duo. They could have been 30 or even 300, that they of them would have taken them out easily. They were just ordinary thugs, with no superpowers or special abilities. Dodging their charges, it took them less than 10 seconds to knock them out. They tried not to be too rough on them, still, they knew that they had at least broken a couple of ribs on two of the assailants, while the third one ended up with his wrist broken.

“These guys were hardly worth the effort.” -Chat Noir said.

“Maybe, but at least we got to chance to let out some steam.” -Jade Turtle said.

“Let’s wrap this up and leave these idiots here for the police. I got get back home.” -Chat Noir told him.  


	4. Busy Afternoon

The next morning in school, Kim was still feeling quite sore from the previous day fall. Though the ice Alix brought him and the tea Master Fu had served him helped, the old man recommended him to not make any stunts for at least a couple of more days. To cheer him up, Marinette brought him a “Get Well Soon” cupcake, as she liked to call them. In fact, the cupcake was a triple chocolate muffin with red and blue icing she had done that morning before coming to school.

“Now, remember, don’t eat it all by yourself. Give a bite to Imp.” -the blue-haired girl told Kim, as she placed the cupcake on his desk.

“Don’t worry, I won’t let him forget about it.” -Imp, who was hiding in his backpack, said. Though his favourite food was spring rolls, the antelope kwami was a sucker for sweets.

“Hey, I was the one who got hurt, so I should eat it all.” -Kim shot at his kwami.

Imp was about to say something else, when someone knocked at the door, making him and every other kwami disappear out of sight. When the door opened, Miss Bustier entered, asking everyone to take their seat, stating that they had a lot of work ahead of them that morning. Once everyone was in their seat, Miss Bustier called out everyone’s names. Noticing Adrien was still absent, she asked the class who would like to take him that day’s homework. Chloé was going to volunteer, but Alya was faster than her. Raising her hand, she suggested Marinette could take him his homework. Hearing that, Marinette almost panicked. Still, remaining as calm as possible, she just smiled and waved at Miss Bustier who told her to not forget to come and get them after classes. The blue-haired girl looked at Alya, who gave her a look that clearly said: “You can thank me later, girl.”. Marinette knew that Chloé was going to be incredibly upset with that, especially because she had a crush on Adrien, but unlike her, Chloé made sure that everyone else knew about it.

“ _She’s really going to be super mad at me because of this._ ” -Marinette thought to herself. Still, even knowing this, she could not deny the fact that she was happy that she would have the chance to take Adrien his homework. That would give her the chance to talk to him, and to spend some time with him, alone.  

And just like she had predicted, Chloé was really mad, but not with Marinette. Instead, she was mad at Alya for suggesting Marinette’s name, before she could offer herself to take Adrien his homework. Sabrina, who was seated next to her could feel and see the blonde’s rage in her eyes. Still, she knew that she would eventually calm down and forget about it. The old Chloé would have made a scandal about it, but the new Chloé, the one who was making everything possible to become the kind of person she really wanted to be. A person who was nice and thoughtful, and who would be there for those she liked the most. Still, that did not mean that some traits of her old personality would not come back from time to time. Feeling her best-friend needed to get something out of her system, Sabrina quickly scribbled something on a piece of paper, and gave it to her.

“ _Are you alright?_ ”

“ _Yes!_ ” -Chloé wrote on the paper.

“ _No, you’re not. I can tell you’re not._ ” -Sabrina wrote.

“ _I told you I’m fine, Sabrina!_ ” -Chloé wrote.

“ _Chloé, don’t lie to me. I know just how much you wanted to take Adrien his homework. But you don’t have to get mad at Marinette._ ”

“ _I’m not mad at Marinette. I’m mad at Alya. She didn’t have the right to suggest Marinette’s name. I mean, if Marinette wanted to volunteer herself, she would’ve done it!_ ”

“ _Even so, you shouldn’t get mad. But you could have always asked Miss Bustier to choose you instead of her._ ”

“ _You’re right, I could’ve, but I’m not in the mood for fights or complains. It’ll give me wrinkles._ ”

Reading that last sentence, Sabrina giggled to herself. She knew that that was her way to say that she would get over it, and that in a matter of hours, she would have put it all behind her. She was going to write something else, but was unable to do it, as Miss Bustier called her out to the blackboard. As she went to the board, Chloé smiled, thanking Sabrina for caring so much about her well-being.   

Later, during recess, Alix, Kim and Nino talked about the video, and how they were going to film another part of it that afternoon. But, while Nino was excited about the idea of filming them once more, he knew that Kim was in no condition of pulling out any kind of trick or stunt for the next couple of days, and Alix was going to make sure that that would not happen.

“Are you crazy?! We’re not going to film anything else, until you get better!” -Alix exclaimed.

“She’s right. You got lucky yesterday, and you shouldn’t press your luck.” -Daria said.

“Look, don’t you know what they say? The show must go on! Just because I’m a bit hurt, that doesn’t mean the filming of this video has to stop.” -Kim told her. –“We’ll just take things slower. You’re with me on this, aren’t you Nino?”

“Honestly, I think she’s right. You need to take it easy.” -Nino told him.

“Confucius once said: It does not matter how slowly you go, as long as you do not stop.” –Wayzz declared.

“What does that even mean?” -Kim asked.

“It means that if you do things slowly, you’ll also get them done.” -Alix told him. –“Or in other words, you’ve got to take it slowly, so you don’t get hurt again.”

“They both have a point. Plus, if Hawk Moth decides to show his ugly mug again, and you’re still injured, you won’t be of use to anyone.” -Imp said.

“Oh, come on! You’re sounding just like my parents now! I already heard this conversation last night. -Kim said, remembering the words his parents spoke. –“Fine, I’ll take it easy. But you don’t have to, girl.” -he said, pointing out to Alix. –“We can still film you. We’ll film your part today, and when I get better, we’ll film my part.”

“Well, I guess we can do that.” -Alix admitted. Their plan was to film a couple of stunts in their bikes, but now with Kim out of the picture, it seemed the only one pulling out insane BMX tricks was going to be the pink-haired girl.   

“But, we’re still going to need at least two more people to make it work.” -Nino told her. –“The way you guys want to make it, we’re going to need at least two more people to help us out.”

“Why don’t we ask Marinette and Alya to be in it?” -Kim asked.

“Marinette’s going to Adrien’s house to give him his homework, so she can’t come, remember? And Alya’s got to stay home with her sisters this afternoon.” -Nino answered.

“Well, why don’t you ask any of the others if they want to help out?” -Wayzz suggested.

Looking at their other friends, they quickly chose who they thought would look perfect for that part of the video... Rose and Juleka. The two of them were sitting on the playground stairs talking with Max, when Alix called them out.

“Hey, Rose! Juleka! Do you girls have anything to do this afternoon?” -Alix asked them.  

* * *

Just like Miss Bustier told her, at the end of classes, Marinette went to her desk and grabbed Adrien’s homework. After hearing what her teacher wanted her to tell Adrien regarding some of the exercises, she dashed out of the classroom, making her way to the school’s front door. Once outside, she quickened her pace. As she headed to Adrien’s house, Marinette felt like everything was okay with the world.

“You really are excited about this, aren’t you?” -Tikki asked her, form inside Marinette’s purse.

“I sure am, Tikki.” -Marinette told her. –“I spent most of the morning imagining how this will go.”

“What do you mean? You’re just going to deliver him his homework.”

“Yes, but that doesn’t mean I can’t take the opportunity to do something more.” -she smiled.

“What are you talking about?” -Tikki raised her eyebrow.

“Oh, well, this is part of a fantasy I’ve had, since I met Adrien.” -Marinette smiled. –“It’s one of those simple, yet beautiful fantasies that every girl has… Imagine, Tikki, me, knocking at Adrien’s door, and then he opens in it. I tell him that I came to deliver his homework, and I ask him if he would want some help with it. He says yes, we go to his room to work… between the amount of exercises, I gather the courage to tell him how I feel about him. He says that he also loves me, we kiss, and then we get married and live happily ever after.” -she giggled, with the weirdest smile ever on her face.

Looking at her, Tikki, just raised her eyebrow and said:

“Don’t you think that you’re getting a little too ahead of yourself with that fantasy of yours?” -she asked her. –“I don’t want to sound mean or anything, Marinette, but whenever you’re with Adrien, you start stuttering and making funny faces. What makes you think that won’t happen this time?”

Tikki’s words pierced through Marinette’s fantasy like steak knives through tenderloin, bringing her back to Earth. She knew what she had said was just wishful thinking, but deep down, she really wanted it to happen.

“I don’t know… I mean, in this fantasy I’m brave enough to ask him if he needs help. I think that’s what makes it so wonderful. It fills me with hope that if I did such a thing, then maybe Adrien would say that he likes me.” -Marinette told her.

“Well, it’s nice to fantasize about things, but they’ll remain just that if you don’t do anything to make those same fantasies happen.” -Tikki declared, with a smile.

“Are you telling me that I should really make this fantasy happen today?”

“Well, maybe not the part of telling him that you love him and that you’ll get married and live happily ever after… for that to happen, you might need a little more time. But you can try and offer to help him with his homework and spend some time with him.” -Tikki said.

“You know what? Usually I would just keep fantasizing about that possibility, but today, I think I’m going to ask him if he really needs help.” -Marinette declared with a confident voice.  

Catching a bus, in less than 20 minutes, she was in front of Agreste Manor. This was not the first time Marinette saw Adrien’s house, but just like the first time she visited it, the whole place gave off an eerie vibe, like it did not belong in that particular century. Still, the fact that the whole manor was built like a fortress contributed to that feeling. Looking at it from the outside, no one would even think that it was inhabited, as the windows were all closed and the shutters down, making it impossible for anyone to see inside. Reaching the front gate, Marinette looked at the front door camera and rang the doorbell. A few seconds later, a voice was heard over the intercom.

“Yes? How may I help you?” -the voice asked. Marinette immediately recognized it. It was the voice of Adrien’s dad secretary, Nathalie.

“Huh, good afternoon. Is Adrien home?” -Marinette asked, while smiling to the camera.

“I’m afraid not.” -Nathalie answered, as she looked to the monitor displaying Marinette’s image. She recognized her immediately, though she could not remember her name.

“Can you tell me when he might be coming back, or where I can find him? Miss Bustier told me to bring him his homework, so I did.” -Marinette told her.

“Adrien is with Monsieur Agreste at the Paris Fashion Week. He won’t be home until late at night.” -Nathalie declared. –“But if you want to, you can leave his homework that I will give it to him when he comes home.”

Hearing her say that, Marinette felt that leaving the homework was the best thing to do. But something inside of her, told her that she had to be the one to deliver the homework to Adrien.

“I appreciate the offer, but, Miss Bustier told me a couple of things I have to say to Adrien in person. I’ll just go to where the event is taking place and find him out.”

“No, you won’t. Not without passing security.” -Nathalie told her. Looking at her through the monitor, she saw Marinette’s face getting gloomy as soon as she said that. She did not know why, but she decided to do something she had never done for anyone who had come looking for Adrien before. –“But, if you give me your name and your ID card number, I can try and call security, so they might let you in.”

“You would do that?!” -Marinette exclaimed.

“Yes, just give me your personal data and leave the rest to me.”

Marinette quickly gave Nathalie her full name and her ID card number. With those information, she was going to ensure Marinette would be able to enter the event without any hitches. Thanking Nathalie, Marinette started walking onto the nearest underground station. As she walked, she tried to process just how lucky she was. Not only she was going to see Adrien, but she was also going to enter an event that had fascinated her, ever since she decided she wanted to be a fashion designer.

“If this is a dream, don’t wake me up right now.” -Marinette thought to herself.

But, as she was about to enter the underground station, Marinette’s cell phone started to ring. Tikki, who was leaning against it almost went deaf by the sound of its ringtone. Grabbing it, she practically tossed it to Marinette who caught it in mid-air. As she answered it, she saw her mother’s name on the touchscreen.

“Hey, mom.”

“Marinette, where are you? Did you forget that you were supposed to come with me shopping for new shoes?” -Sabine asked her daughter.

“Oh no, don’t worry, I’ll be there on time.” -Marinette lied. She had completely forgot about that. –“I just need to hand over a friend his homework, because he couldn’t come to school today.” -she said.

“Very well, if you need to do that, I’ll be waiting for you at the Madame Stephanie’s shoe store in one hour. See you later.”

Looking at the time, Marinette quickly did the math on how long it would take her to get to the Champ de Mars where the Paris Fashion Week was taking place, finding Adrien and give him his homework, and then meet her mother at the shoe shop. It did not take her more than a couple of seconds to realize that she would never be able to do all that in less than an hour. Facing a dilemma, the blue-haired girl asked herself what she ought to do?

“Should I postpone delivering Adrien’s homework to another occasion? I mean, he’s not going to school tomorrow, so he doesn’t need to get his homework today… but if I don’t go now, I won’t be able to also check on the Fashion Week, and this is a once in a lifetime opportunity. On the other hand, I made a promise to mom and I already told her that I meet there…”

“Marinette? Are you okay?” -Tikki asked her, seeing how jittered her face looked.

“I’m just trying to figure out what to do with the time I have, because I can’t be at two places at the same time.” -Marinette told her. –“What do I do? Should I go and give Adrien’s homework now? But if I do that, I won’t be able to meet my mom… oh, what I wouldn’t give to be able to split myself into two right now.” -she sighed in desperation.      

“Well, why don’t you use your powers to get to where Adrien is, hand him his homework and then use them once again to meet your mom?” -Tikki asked her. –“That way, you can accomplish both things.”

“You mean, turn myself into Ladybug?” -Marinette asked her. –“I can’t do that. You know what Master Fu told us. That we must use our powers responsibly… if I use them just to deliver something to Adrien, and then use them again to get to where my mom is on time, that would be incredibly irresponsible on my part.”

“And may I remind you that you are a superheroine who swore to protect the city and the world from evil? With that in mind, you won’t be able to do it, if you don’t have your whole team with you. And even if you didn’t need your whole team, you could use the specific abilities from a certain team member to defeat an enemy. And, what if, that team member could not be present because he ended up grounded for not doing his homework, because a certain person did not give them to him? If that happened, the city would be destroyed, people would get hurt, and so forth.” -Tikki told her. –“So, in a way, by giving them his homework, you’ll be avoiding something like that from happening, and in order to avoid it and save the day, you’ll need to use your powers.”

“When you say it like that, it doesn’t look like I’m using my powers for my own benefit.” -Marinette declared, realizing the logic of what her kwami said. 

“Once you’ve been around for more than 5000 years like I have, you do find a way to bend the rules a little bit to your advantage… besides, almost every Ladybug was always in a hurry to get somewhere they needed to be.” -Tikki smiled.

“I didn’t know this sneaky side of yours, Tikki.” -Marinette giggled.

“Well, what can I say? I’m full of surprises.” -the little kwami said. –“Now, find somewhere and transform into Ladybug, so you can deliver that homework to Adrien and then, head over to the shoe shop where your mom will be waiting for you.”

“Got it.” –Marinette exclaimed, as she turned around and looked for a hidden spot, where she could turn into Ladybug.

* * *

Not far from where Marinette and Tikki were, their friends Nino, Kim, Alix, Rose and Juleka, along with their kwamis, had gathered to film the next part of Kim and Alix’s video. They had chosen a park that was perfect for the next part of the video, which involved bicycle tricks and manoeuvres. Alix and Kim had figured out the whole scene, and now, while Kim and Nino explained to Juleka and Rose what they were going to do, Alix was assembling one of the elements that was deemed crucial, if not critical for what they were going to do.

As they heard the idea, both Rose and Juleka started to have second thoughts about all that.

“Okay, let’s see, you girls are both strolling side by side on your bikes, when Alix comes from behind and jumps over you, landing a couple of meters ahead of you.” -Nino told them.

“But, how’s she going to do that?” -Juleka asked.

“She’s going to slide down the hill, and then, she’ll jump with the help of this ramp right here.” -Kim said, as he pointed to a small wooden ramp that Alix herself was assembling behind a bush.

“What if she doesn’t get enough speed, and ends up failing the jump and hits us?” -Rose asked her. They were going to be wearing helmets, but still, the chances of getting hurt by Alix’s bike were still pretty high. All that was needed for that to happen was a simple mistake from the pink-haired girl as she was going down the hill.  

“Come on, you can’t get hurt… don’t you remember? You’re a superhero with awesome moves!” -Flint exclaimed from Rose’s backpack.

“He’s right. If something happens, you girls will be able to avoid it.” -Tamara spoke from inside Juleka’s backpack. –“Your training has given you that ability.”

“She’s right.” -Nino told them. –“You can’t argue with that.”

“But, Kim also took the same kind of training we did, and look what happened.” -Rose said, pointing to Kim, who had just sat on a nearby bench to rest a little.  

“Kim there got hurt because he didn’t use his head to calculate the precise moment to do the somersault.” -Alix said. –“That’s the trouble with being a bonehead.”

“Hey! I resent that!” -Kim exclaimed, feeling a little offended by those words.

“Come on, no fighting, okay?” -Nino asked them. –“We’re here to film this, not to start a fight.”

“Wise words, Nino.” -Wayzz said, as he rested on Nino’s right shoulder.

“Thanks.” -Nino thanked him.

“Alright, this ramp is finished.” -Alix exclaimed.

“Are you sure it will hold?” -Daria, who was sitting on the grass next to the ramp, asked her.

“It will. I build these things to last and withstand just about anything.” -Alix said, as she took a last look at the ramp.  

“Great. Then, before we do a small rehearsal, let’s go over the plan to see if everyone knows what they’re going to do.” -Nino said. –“Kim, you stay where you are. Girls, you will come down this road here side by side, just talking with one another. When you reach this line here, you stop.” -he pointed out to a line he had made on the dirt road. –“You just stand there, where I will tape you from the chest up, and get a shot of Alix jumping over your heads on her bike.”

“Hey, what about us?!” -Daria asked Nino. –“Can’t we kwamis have a small role in this?” -he asked, before Alix grabbed him with both hands.

“What are you doing?! Do you want people to see you?!” -Alix whispered at Daria, as she looked around to see if anyone had seen him.

“Don’t worry, I checked to see if anyone was looking this way. Nobody was looking!” -Daria told her.

“You can’t be sure of that! Someone might have looked when you blinked or something!” -Alix told him. –“Besides, there are lots of kids around here. If one of them spots you, who knows what will happen?!”

“Alix, don’t worry. If anything happens, we’ll just say they are a new kind of toys that came from Japan.” -Rose suggested.

“That ain’t a bad idea.” -Juleka told her with a smile. –“ _You always have the best ideas, Rose._ ” -she thought to herself.  

“Thanks.” -Rose smiled at her.

“Moving on… what about us? Don’t we get to have a little part in this?” -Daria asked once more.

“Yeah, he’s right, we should have a little part in this.” -Flint said.

“And how do you suppose they will do that?” -Wayzz asked him.

“Like this!” -Nino grabbed Wayzz and made his way to Rose’s bicycle. –“We can put you here, pretending to be stuffed dolls.” -he said, as he placed Wayzz inside the basket that was mounted on handlebar.

“Hey, that’s a great idea!” -Rose said, as she grabbed Flint and placed him on the basket.

“Alright, I guess you can appear on the video too, but you have to be super still. No making faces, and not blinking okay?” -Alix told them, as she placed Daria in the basket.

“Fine, but stop treating us like little children, okay? We’ve been doing this hiding in plain sight for millennia now.” -Daria told her.

“Okay, now that that is out of the way, let’s go on with the rehearsal.” -Nino said. –“We’ll start with you two. In the meantime, Kim, grab your phone and time how long does it take Alix to get down here on her bike.” -he told him, as Alix grabbed her bike and started to climb up the hill with her.

“Got it. Take good care of Imp, will you?” –Kim told Juleka and Rose, as he pulled him out of his pocket and threw him to them; something the antelope kwami did not appreciate, one bit.

“Hey, watch it! I can fly, you know?!” -Imp told him, as Juleka placed him and Tamara on Rose’s bicycle basket.

“ _This is going to be a really long afternoon…_ ” -both Juleka and Rose thought to themselves.

* * *

At the same time, in Alya’s place, an important task was taking place. Alya had asked Nathaniel if he could help her with the blog’s logo. She had a couple of ideas for it, but her drawing skills were too basic to do anything that she deemed good enough for the blog. Luckily, Nathaniel had a gift for drawing, and he instantly accepted the challenge.

“Thanks for helping me out with this.”

“It’s okay.” -Nathaniel said. –“Besides, I don’t mind helping you out. It’s my way to also contribute to the blog.”

“Still, I wish I could’ve gone to your house, instead of asking you to come to mine.” -Alya said. –“Unfortunately, someone has to keep an eye on those little pests… girls! Stop that!” -she exclaimed, as the girls kept running around, giggling like crazy. –“Give me a minute.”

Exiting her room, Alya quickly located her sisters, who were in the living room tossing things like pillows and stuffed dolls to one another. Seeing them doing this, Alya quickly grabbed what they were throwing at each other, and looked them in the eyes.

“What do you think you’re doing?”

“Playing.” -Etta said.

“Playing… is that what you call throwing things at one another?!” -Alya asked them in a serious tone. –“Mom and dad put me in charge, to make sure you girls would behave while they’re at work, and the minute I turn around to see what Nathaniel is doing, you girls do this!”  

“Is he your boyfriend?” -Ella asked her older sister.

“No, Nino is my boyfriend. Nathaniel’s just a friend who’s helping me with a project.” -Alya kept talking in a serious tone.

“What project?”  -Etta asked Alya.

“A school project.” -Alya lied. She knew that if she told them that he was helping her with something for the Miraculous Blog, that her sisters would not let go of them. Like every kid out there, Ela and Etta loved the Miraculous Team, and they knew about Alya’s blog about it and the stuff she posted in it. If they knew Nathaniel was doing something for the blog, it was more than certain that the two of them would spend the rest of the afternoon pestering them, demanding to know what they were doing. –“A very, very boring school project which we have to deliver until tomorrow, and we can’t do it, if you girls keep doing all this noise.”

“We’re just playing.” -Ella told her.

“No, throwing things at one another isn’t playing. Do something else, preferably something that much noise.” –Alya told them. –“Why don’t you go watch TV, while we’re working?”

“There’s nothing good on now.” -Ella said.

“If I let you play with something cool, would you go to your room and play there?”

“Yes!” -the girls answered in chorus.

“Very well. Wait here, I’ll be right back.” -Alya told them.

Alya’s plan was simple. If she gave them something they found cool and adorable to play with, they would be so entertained, that they would literally forget about everything else. And the thing she was going to offer them to play with was none other than her kwami, Trixx. Unfortunately, Trixx herself did not like the idea, not one bit, and when Alya told her about it, she opposed it.

“No! No, no, no, no, no and no! I won’t do it! Your sisters are monsters, girl!” -Trixx exclaimed.

“Come on, Trixx, just this once!” -Alya begged her.

“No way! I’m not risking my beautiful ears, not even for you!” -Trixx shot at her. Just imagining the twins fighting over her, and one of them pulling her ears, while the other pulled her tail, to see who would get to keep her.

“Fine! If you don’t want to help me out, then I’ll bet someone else will.” -Alya told her, as she turned to Nathaniel. –“Do you think Mulan…”

“If Mulan could pretend to be a doll for your sisters? Of course, he won’t mind, will you, Mulan?” -Nathaniel asked his kwami, who was resting on his left shoulder.

“As long as they don’t try to put me inside their mouths, I’ll be happy to help you.” -Mulan said.

“Thanks, and don’t worry, they don’t usually put toys in their mouths.” -Alya said, as Mulan flew over to her, and landed on her open hand. Turning over to Trixx with a serious face, she said –“At least, some kwamis understand that sacrifices must be made.”

“Alright, alright, I’ll do it! You don’t have to be so mad about it!” -Trixx sighed reluctantly. She hated the idea, but she knew that if she did not help Alya, Mulan would never let her hear the end of it, especially, if he also told the other kwamis that Trixx refused to help her holder when she needed. –“But if I do end up without my ears, or my tail, you’ll be hearing it from me!”

“ _Works every time._ ” -she thought to herself. –“Fine. Come along, then.” -Alya said, as Trixx flew towards her. –“I’ll be right back, Nathaniel.”

“Take your time.”

Exiting the room, she made her way back to the living room, where the twins awaited her. Smiling, she showed them both Trixx and Mulan, who were pretending to be stuffed dolls.

“You can play with them, if you promise me to stay in your room… and, you need to promise me that you won’t ruin them. These are very special dolls, and I want you to give them back just as they are now. So, no watering them, no leaving them in the Sun for too long, no squirting glue or chocolate syrup on them, no nothing, understood?”

“Yes!” -Ella and Etta exclaimed.

“Okay, here you go.” -Alya said, as she handed Trixx to Ella and Mulan to Etta. –“Remember, if I hear one little sound, I’ll go to your room and get the dolls back, and you’ll be grounded, okay?”

“Okay, Alya!” -Ella said, as she petted Trixx’s head. –“Come on, let’s have a tea party with them!”

Leaving them, Alya could almost imagine what Trixx was thinking right then, and she knew that whatever she was thinking, it was related to how she was going to get back at her, for handing her to twin sisters. Entering in hr room, she was greeted back by Nathaniel who had just finished the first draft.

“So, how do you left them?”

“Let’s hope they survive my sisters.” -Alya smiled.

“Come on, they can’t be the little devils that your kwami says they are. Are they?” -Nathaniel asked her.

“Oh, they aren’t, when they are in a good mood, of course.” -Alya answered him.

“And are they in a good mood, today?” -Nathaniel asked her.

“I like to think so.” -Alya smirked. –“So, have you finished it?”

“The first draft is ready and awaiting your approval.” -he said, as he showed her what he had done.


	5. Marinette in Fashion Land

Alya’s eyes could not believe what Nathaniel had drawn. It was just a sketch, but if one would use its imagination, it could see just how the final version would look like. Nathaniel had decided to use Ladybug’s insignia in the middle, surrounded by smaller versions of everyone else’s insignia. Looking at it, it reminded Alya a little about the myth of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table.

“So, do you like it? If you don’t, I’ve got a couple of more ideas.”

“No, it’s perfect. It’s exactly what I was looking for the blog.”

“Really?” -Nathaniel asked.

“Yeah, really.” -Alya told him, as she looked at the sketch more closely, admiring the little details he had put in it. –“It reminds me a little of the Knights of the Round Table.”

“I actually based the concept on that.” -Nathaniel declared. –“I’m glad I actually managed to transmit that idea to the drawing. Although, I have to admit that it wasn’t a coincidence I chose that theme when drawing this.”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, a couple of weeks ago, Mulan told me about previous holders of the red panda miraculous, and it turns out that one of them was none other than Sir Galahad himself.”

“Sir Galahad? You mean, Sir Galahad from the knights of the Round Table, right? But, then that means that King Arthur himself…”

“Existed? Yes, he existed, as well as all the other characters in the Arthurian legends. It was no myth.” -Nathaniel told her.

“Whoa, okay, let me sit down.” -she said, as she sat on her bed. –“So, if everything in it was true, then, I assume that Morgana was Hawk Moth?”

“Yes, it was her.” -Nathaniel told her, as he started to work on the logo’s lineart. –“And Sir Galahad wasn’t the only one who wore a miraculous. Sir Caradoc was the holder of the Bear miraculous, and Sir Percival was the holder of the Turtle miraculous. At least that’s what Mulan told me.” -he declared. –“But, I bet I’m not the only one who has some big shoes to fill, when it comes to my predecessors. Hasn’t Trixx told you anything about the previous holders of your miraculous?”

“Actually, no…” -Alya told him. –“She talks a lot, but, it’s mostly about what she saw on television, or in the Internet.”

“Well, you got to ask her. The way she loves to talk, I bet she’d love to tell you a ton of stories about the ones who held your miraculous before you.” -Nathaniel told her.

“I can imagine, she does…” -Alya chuckled. –“… speaking of which, it’s awfully too quiet.”

“Is that a bad thing?”

“With my sisters, absolute silence usually means that they’re either watching TV, or up to no good… I’ll be right back.” -Alya said, as she went to check on her sisters.

Walking on the tips of her toes, Alya approached their sisters’ room. By experience, she knew that something was definitely going on. When it came to the twins, silence always meant trouble, in more than one way. She could only imagine what they were up to. When she reached the door, she noticed this one was not fully shut, so, she just had to look to see what was going on. Fearing the worst, she kneeled on the ground and looked through the opening between the door and the jamb. To her surprise, Ella and Etta were both having a tea party in the middle of the room, with Mulan and Trixx as the guests of honour.

“Well, I’ll be… for once the two of them are actually doing what they said they were going to do.” -Alya thought to herself, as she spied her sisters.

Ella and Etta were having a great time, and just like they had promised their older sister, they were handling both Trixx and Mulan with much care, as if they were the most precious objects in the world. They had even put on some clothes in them and made them look like a prince and princess, who showed up to have some tea with them.

“Would Princess Fox like more tea?” -Ella asked Trixx, who stood as still as possible.

“Why yes, I would love some.” -Etta answered, pretending to be Trixx talking. –“And would Prince Raccoon would like some more cookies to go with that tea?

“Etta, he’s not a raccoon, he’s a red-panda.” -Ella corrected her sister.

“Oh, he doesn’t mind… after all, he’s just a dummy, and dummies can be whatever you like.” -Etta smiled. –“Now, would you like some cookies, Prince?”

“Yes, I would like… but just two, I’m on a diet.” -Ella said, pretending to be Mulan talking.  

Hearing that, Alya smiled. The way those two were playing, reminded her of the times she and Marinette also played with their dolls, when they were little. In fact, not many knew that, but it had been Alya who had given the idea to Marinette to create the puppets with which the blue-haired girl played with Manon. She was always telling her when they were little, that the dolls they had were always the same old, same boring dolls and that if they could make their own dolls and puppets, they could create all the adventures they wanted. Both grew up, but Marinette learned to sew and kept creating new dolls and puppets in her spare time, and from time to time, she would offer one to Alya, to remind her of those days, when they were younger and they had that somehow silly wish of creating all kinds of dolls and puppets. Those memories, made her shed a small tear.

“ _Better leave these two, and get back to Nathaniel… at least I know that this time Trixx won’t be coming back saying that I sent her to her doom._ ” -she thought to herself, as she got up and went back to her room.

* * *

Swinging from building to building, Ladybug quickly hastened her moves to save time. She was desperate to get to the Champ de Mars as quickly as possible.

“ _Let’s see… if I cut through the Rue Saint-Dominique I’ll be there in a heartbeat._ ” -Ladybug thought to herself, as she landed on top of a street lamp, and then used it as a trampoline to reach the following building.  

The people on the street waved at her, and whenever possible, she also waved back at them. She had not told anyone, not even Tikki about it, but she was starting to love that kind of attention. The fact that people would stop in the middle of the street just to wave at her, hoping that she would wave back at them, it made her whole-body jolt. The closest thing she could think of, when asked what that feeling was like, was as if she was a little girl who had been given a brand-new talking doll to play with, and that each time she did something good, the doll would say something new. And needless to say, that she loved it. Still, she had both her feet planted on the ground, and had made a promise to herself to never let that feeling rise to her head. After all, the reason she was doing that was not for the fame or the applause. It was to keep those she loved, like her mom and dad, safe from the clutches of that psycho Hawk Moth. That, reminded her constantly that the powers she now had were not to be taken lightly.   

The Champ de Mars was originally part of a large flat area which was used for market gardening, until the middle of the 18th century, when it began to serve as drilling and marching grounds for the French army. Later, it would serve as the site for the World Fairs of 1867, 1878, 1889, 1900 and 1937. Nowadays, it was a place for people, mostly tourists to walk around and having picnics, while contemplating the Eiffel Tower, or, the hosting place of music concerts or similar events. Events like the spring/summer edition of the Paris Fashion Week. For a whole week glamour and beauty were the words to go by around there, and people knew it. 

As she neared her destination, Ladybug began looking for a secluded place where she could turn back into her civilian form. She cursed the fact of not existing many places where she could do that around there. Still, like always, luck was on her side. A nearby construction site, which seemed deserted, would serve nicely. Landing, she immediately changed back into Marinette, and got out of there, before anyone showed up. 

“That must have been a record time…” -Marinette commented, as she walked away from the construction site, still gasping for air. That had been quite the workout.  

“Well, you practically didn’t stop swinging.” -Tikki said. Looking at her, Marinette knew she was tired, and deserved a treat. Going through her backpack, she found the Tupperware where she stored Tikki’s favourite cookies, which she always had with her in case of an emergency. Opening it, she took one and handed it to kwami. -Thanks, Marinette.”

“You earned it.” -Marinette smiled, as the scarlet kwami ate the delicious cookie. –“I just hope no one saw me landing there.”

“Don’t worry, you were pretty quick getting out of there.” -Tikki told her. –“But, in the near-future, you might want to maybe do a map of places you feel are safe to transform or turn back into your civilian form, throughout the city. That way, you’ll always know of a place where you can do it, without risking exposing yourself.” -the kwami suggested her.   

The commotion around the event was quite big, and the security was incredibly high. But that did not surprise, Mairnette. With the amount of terrorist attacks happening all over Europe, along with the fact that Hawk Moth had made his mission to conquer the world, starting with the city of Paris, it was only logical that security was incredibly high. No one wanted anyone to get hurt, especially in an event so important for the city. Sighing, she approached one of the security guards. Identifying herself, she showed him her ID card and told her that Adrien’s dad secretary had sent her name to be added to the list of people authorized to enter the event. Looking at her, the security guard stared at her with an unfriendly face. Marinette just kept smiling at him, trying not to show just how nervous that whole situation was making her. Going through the list, the security guard did not find her name. Hearing this, Marinette felt like a knife had pierced her heart, leaving her breathless.

“B-But… B-But my name has to be there. Gabriel Agreste’s personal secretary told me she would send my name to be added to the list. Please, check it again, or maybe there’s already an updated version of that list you have there, and my name’s in there. Please, I really must enter, and I don’t have much time!” -Marinette begged the security guard.

“Wait here, please.”

A few minutes after, the security guard came back, and this time, he told her that indeed her name had been added to the newer list. Letting her through, Marinette sighed in relief, as she went to the following security check. There, she was checked for any concealed weapons or dangerous objects. After getting a clear checking, she was given a VIP pass, which granted her access to every part of the event, including the backstage. As the security guard handed her the pass, she felt instantly like a movie-star, or someone famous. Walking inside, she felt at home right away. Surrounded by fashion designers, fashion critics, models, beautiful clothes, haute-couture dresses, runways, this was as close as she had ever been to her ideal depiction of Heaven. Ever since she was a little girl and had decided that one day she would either become a model or a fashion designer, that she had wanted to attend Paris Fashion Week; and now, that dream had come true. With that VIP pass, she could wherever she wanted, and there was no one stopping her from doing it. And the temptation to take a seat next to a runway and see one of the shows that was going on, or check out the models and get a closer look to the backstage was pretty big. But, she knew that the clock was ticking, and she had to find Adrien. But, as she looked around, she realized one thing. She did not know where to go from there.

“It just hit me… how are we going to find Adrien in this place? There must be hundreds of people here.” -Marinette whispered to Tikki. –“Maybe I should have asked the security guards where I could find Adrien.”

“Don’t worry, leave that to me.” -Tikki told her.

“What do you mean?”

“Every kwami can sense the presence of another kwami when were near each other. If Plagg is with Adrien, I can find him, no matter how many people are around here.” -Tikki

“That’s so cool, Tikki.” -Marinette smiled. –“Then, tell me, where should I go?”

“Let me concentrate…” -Tikki told her as she closed her eyes. A couple of seconds later, she opened them and said: -“Go right; Marinette.”

Following Tikki’s directions, Marinette made her way through the turmoil of people, dresses and staff walking around. In the air, you could hear the iconic song Le Freak, which was usually associated with fashion shows. It did not take long for Marinette to get to where Adrien was. Even if Tikki had not been with her, once she recognized one of the many clothes designed by Gabriel Agreste, she knew she was on the right track. According to Tikki, Plagg, and quite possibly Adrien, were inside a trailer with the logo of the Gabriel brand on the side. But to get to him, she would have to go past the one obstacle that was right in front of the trailer’s door… Adrien’s bodyguard. Hiding behind a clothes rack that had some of the most beautiful spring clothes Marinette had ever seen, she tried to figure out what to do. 

“That’s Adrien’s bodyguard. He never goes anywhere without him… not that he likes it, of course.” -Marinette said, remembering the times Adrien would just give him the slip, so he could act like a normal kid. –“And I bet that even though I have to see Adrien, he’s not going to let me in.”

“You could always ask him.”

“No, I already know him well enough to know that the only person he takes orders from his Adrien’s dad.” -Marinette said. –“What I need is a distraction… wish my powers would work when I’m not transformed, because right now, my special 6th sense would really come in hand.” -she told Tikki.

“Indeed… but, maybe I can help.” -Tikki said, as she flew out of Marinette’s purse. –“Get ready to run.”

“Wait, Tikki!” -she exclaimed, as her kwami

Tikki flew out of there, with one idea in her head… to provide a unique distraction that would give Marinette the opportunity to enter in the trailer. She knew that Adrien’s bodyguard had to be incredibly strong; just looking at his physique one could easily assume that he could easily take down a man with one swing. Still, just because one is strong, does not mean he’s just as fast, and that was exactly what Tikki was hoping for. Her plan was simple. She was going to dive into the lapel pocket of his jacket, and then use her speed to pull him forward and make him lose his balance, just long enough for Marinette to get to the trailer’s door. Not hesitating, she dashed into his pocket, and just like she had predicted, he lost his balance and ended up falling forward. What she did not predict was that he ended up falling on top of a boxes that were all stacked neatly. Seeing him tumbled on the floor, Marinette made a run for it, and in a matter of seconds was in front of the door.   

“Nice work, Tikki.” -Marinette told her kwami, as she approached her.

“My pleasure.” -Tikki said, as she went back into Marinette’s purse. –“Now, go on, knock at the door, before that guy gets back on his feet and sees you.”

“Right.” -Marinette said, as she knocked at the door. Waiting for someone to answer it, she felt like time had slowed down to a halt.

“Yes?” -a voice asked. Marinette recognized it immediately. It was Adrien.

“Adrien! It’s me, Marinette!” -Marinette exclaimed.  

“Marinette?!”

“Let me in, please!” -Marinette begged him, afraid that his bodyguard could see her, when the door opened.

“Get in.” -Adrien said, as he let her in, and closed the door behind her. –“What are you doing here? How did you get past the Gorilla?”

“Do you want those questions answered by alphabetical or numerical word?” -Plagg asked him. –“Give them a second to get their breath back, genius!”

“Sorry.” -Adrien apologized himself. –“It’s just that I wasn’t really expecting you.”

“Well, answering your questions, let’s just say that Tikki is full of surprises, and found a way to get your bodyguard out of the way.” -Marinette said. –“And… And…” -she froze, when she realized she was talking with the boy that had stolen her heart. She wanted to say something, but her brain seemed like it short-circuited.

“And? Marinette? Marinette? Are you listening to me?” -Adrien asked her, seeing her staring at him like that.  

“Oh, yes, right…” -Marinette said, laughing nervously. –“ _Can’t believe you froze like that! Marinette, this is probably the most humiliating thing you ever did in front of Adrien… I don’t think there’s a hole deep enough for you to get into and disappear right now…_ ” -she thought to herself, cursing her luck and feeling extremely embarrassed by what had happened.

Seeing her in trouble, Tikki went to her rescue, by hovering in front of Adrien’s face, saying:

“Marinette came here to hand over your homework.” -Tikki told him. –“She went to your home, but since you weren’t there, she decided to come here.”

“Oh, really? You shouldn’t have.”

“I-It was no big d-deal, really.” -Marinette stuttered, as she went through her backpack and found Adrien’s homework. –“Here they are.” -she giggled.

As she handed the homework to Adrien, she got a first good look at the trailer. Its interior looked nicer than some houses that did not had wheels. The furniture was minimalistic but nonetheless stylish. The place had just about everything, from a huge plasma TV to a refrigerator and a microwave oven. Plus, there was a small desk filled with all kinds of papers, which Marinette assumed belonged to Adrien’s dad.  

“Thanks, Marinette.” –Adrien said, as he looked at the homework.

“Miss Bustier told me to tell you that the last few math exercises are a bit tricky, but that you can use a calculator to solve them.” -Marinette told him. –“And that the report has to be at least 4 pages long, because if it is shorter than that, she won’t classify it.”

“Thanks for letting me know.” -Adrien said. –“But you really shouldn’t have come just for this… I mean, you could have let them with Nathalie. I’m sure you had other stuff to do.”

“Like I said… it was nothing…” -Marinette said. –“I just wanted an excuse to see you… thank you, Alya!” -she thought to herself, while thanking her best friend.

Suddenly, the trailer’s door opened, startling the two teens. Tikki and Plagg barely had time to get out of sight, when he entered. Wearing his trademark white dress shirt underneath a silver vest with red buttons and a cream-colored dress jacket, along with a red and white striped tie, red dress pants and white shoes with red laces, it was none other than Gabriel Agreste, Adrien’s father

“Adrien, I… oh, I see that we have guests.”

Marinette could hardly believe her eyes. Gabriel Agreste, Adrien’s dad, and the fashion designer she looked up to, was standing right in front of her. She had seen photos and images of him before, but this was the first time she was face-to-face with him. Looking at him, she did not know how to react, or what to say. His stern face made him look like someone who did not have time for trivialities, while his eyes made him look so distant.

“ _Oh, my gosh, it’s Adrien’s dad! I’m so busted… I’ve got to say something, but what? Come on, brain, don’t freeze now!_ ” -Marinette thought to herself, as she tried her best not to burst into panic. –“ _Remember, Marinette, first impressions are everything, so don’t say something stupid… easier said than done… I’m freaking out!_ ”

“Huh, dad, this is Marinette. She’s one of my friends from school.” -Adrien said. –“Miss Bustier, our teach, she asked Marinette to give me my homework, and, well… she came here to do it.”

“I see…” -Gabriel with a neutral voice. –“ _How did she get in here? This place was out of limits to anyone. That bodyguard I hired for Adrien is getting sloppier on his job. I’ll have to talk to him later._ ” -he made a mental note.

“Mr. A-Agreste… I’m, Marinette Dupain-Cheng, h-how do you do?” -Marinette asked him, with a smile on her face. –“I-I’m sorry if I appeared unannounced, but Miss Bustier told me that it was imperative to give Adrien his homework.”

Looking at her, from top to bottom, he noticed the VIP-pass, but more importantly, he noticed what Marinette was wearing… her dark gray blazer. He noticed both its outside, but particularly, the inside which was lined in white with pink polka dots. He seemed to have seen that design before, but could not tell where. And then, it hit him. He had designed a blazer a couple of years earlier quite like the one she was wearing.

“You will forgive me this question, but, is that blazer one of mine?”

“Oh, this one? No, I designed it myself, although I must admit that I used one of your designs as a starting-point to create this one.” -she told him. That blazer was one of her first pieces she had created, without the help of her mother, and she was incredibly proud of it.  

“Marinette’s very talented.” -Adrien backed her up.

“I see…” -Gabriel said, as he looked closer and immediately saw where improvements could be made. His motto was “If it’s not broken, don’t fix it. But that doesn’t mean there isn’t room for minor improvements.” –“Well, if you want my honest opinion on it, as well as some advice, the trimming could use a little more work, and the collar, should be one centimeter shorter. Believe me, not only it would make it look a little more seasonal, but it would also uncover your neck, making it look longer.”

“I can’t believe that I’m actually getting fashion and dressmaking advices from my fashion idol! If this is a dream, don’t wake me up!” -Marinette told herself. Right then, she was on cloud nine. –“T-Thank you for the advice.”

“My pleasure.” -Gabriel told her, with a neutral voice.

“Huh, dad, you were saying something when you were coming in. What was it?”

“Oh, yes, I came here to tell you that I’ll have to absent myself for a few hours. After you finish that photoshoot you have scheduled along with the models from Givenchy, you can go home. I’ll arrive late.”

“Yes, dad.”

“Good. My apologies for not being able to stay longer, Miss Dupain-Cheng, I hope we meet again, soon.” -Gabriel told her with a cordial voice. –“Until then, I hope you keep working on your fashion designs. Who knows, maybe one day you’ll have the chance to show them in this very event.”

“Thank you, and I will.” -Marinette said.

“See you tonight, Adrien.” -Gabriel said, as he opened the exit door.

“See you later, dad.” -Adrien answered back, as the door closed.  

After Gabriel left, there was a brief silence that filled the whole trailer. The only sound one could hear was the muffled sound of the music that was playing outside.

“Your dad’s nice. I-I mean, I just met him, of course, but he doesn’t look like the tyrant that Nino describes.” -Marinette said, breaking the silence. –“ _Oh, crud, what did I just say?! What is Adrien going to think about me?! Me and my big mouth!_ ” -she thought to herself.

“Well, he’s on one of his good days.” -Adrien said. –“And, yeah, he’s not the big tyrant that Nino says he is… at least, not when he’s in a good mood, which is really rare.”

“He’s not the kind of dad that’s always present.” -Plagg added. –“Plus, he can be a little cold and distant… besides not being there for Adrien when he needs the most, he can be a little too protective. The kid can’t even go outside for some sunshine, without having that overgrown brute outside by his side.”

“Plagg! Don’t say things like that! I’m sure he loves Adrien, very much.” -Tikki said. –“I mean, I could tell by the way he talked that he really cared.”

“Well, he shows it in a very strange way, that I can tell you.” -Plagg said, as he went to the mini-bar, opened it and took another piece of Camembert, which he gulped on the spot.

“Maybe, but I know that in his own way, he loves me. That I don’t have any kind of doubts.” -Adrien admitted. –“Still, he wasn’t always like this… back when my mom was alive, he was always smiling. I don’t remember much about it, but that’s what I hear from Nathalie, his secretary. After my mom died, he just stopped smiling.”

Marinette had never heard Adrien talk about his mother before. She knew she had died when he was little, but nothing more. She could hear the sadness in Adrien’s voice, and wished she could do something about it, but she couldn’t. She would be lying if she told him that she knew just how painful it was to lose a parent. The closest thing to losing someone she cared was a pet gold fish she had when she was 6. The more she thought of what to say, the more nervous she became. Finally, she decided to go with her gut, and hope for the best.

“You do miss her a lot, don’t you?”

“I do.” -Adrien said. –“But I always try not to think about her not being here anymore. Instead, I try to remember the things she told me when I was little.”

“I see...” -Marinette said.

“Still, I got my dad, even though he’s not around much, and I have Plagg to keep me company, as well as you and the rest of guys at school.” -Adrien said with a more cheerful voice. –“You guys are really important for me.”

“We are?” -she asked, surprised by what she had heard.  

“Of course, you are.” -Adrien told her, as if that was the most elementary thing in the world. –“You guys are so important to me. I know this is going to sound a little sappy and all, but you guys are like the brothers and sisters I don’t have.”

Hearing that, Marinette almost shed a tear. She did not know just how much she and the rest of her friends meant to Adrien, and when he told her that, those words hit her directly in the heart.

“You know, whatever you need, Adrien, I’m here for you.” -Marinette told him. Tikki and Plagg, who kept observing the two were pleasantly surprised to see Marinette acting like that. She did not look like the Marinette who would freeze in front of Adrien, or started to say dumb things because of her crush on him, no. She looked more like when she was Ladybug. –“If you ever want to, you know, talk about anything, and I mean, anything, whether it’s about a problem you have, or about how you miss your mom… oh, my gosh! Mom!!!”

“W-What?” -Adrien asked, perplexed.

“I told my mom that I would meet her after bringing you your homework, and I must be late already!” -Marinette exclaimed, as she checked her watch and saw that she only had 15 minutes to get there. –“Oh, my mom’s going to kill me!”

“Not if you start running now.” -Tikki told her. –“You know this city very well, you’ll get there on time. “

“But I must go through all that security, and it’s going to take me at least another 5 or 10 minutes to get out of here, Tikki… it’s impossible!” -Marinette sighed, already in desperation.

“Not if you take the artists’ exit.” -Adrien said.

“Artists’ exit?”

“It’s the exit that models and designers use. Come on, I’ll take you there.” -Adrien said, as he grabbed her by the hand, and took her to the trailer’s back exit.

From there, it was just a matter of meters until they arrived at the exit. This one just had one security guard, and you could see that security was not as tight as it was on the main entrance. Adrien quickly told the security guard who Marinette was, and this one let her pass, as she gave him her VIP-pass.

“Thanks, Adrien.” -Marinette thanked him.

“Don’t mention it. And thanks again for bringing me my homework. I’ll try and get some of them done before the next photoshoot.” -Adrien told her, as he went back inside.

Exiting the event, Marinette started looking for a place where she could change into Ladybug. She could always go back to the construction site, but there was always the chance that it was not desert anymore, and from where she was, heading back would make her lose time. It would be safer and faster, to look for another place.

“Adrien was a real sweetheart, helping you like that.” -Tikki broke the silence, trying to make Marinette calm down a little bit. She could tell by her face that she was starting to panic, because of the little time she had.

“He’s always a sweetheart.” -Marinette sighed. –“And you know what? Today I saw a side of Adrien I didn’t know it existed… I think I went past the crush part, to real love, Tikki.”

“I’m glad for you, Marinette, but right now, you’ve got to meet your mom.” -Tikki giggled, as the blue-haired girl quickened her pace. She wanted her to keep calm, but not to space out.  

“I know, I know… she’s going to kill me if I’m one minute late.” -Marinette said, as she looked at the time.   


	6. Old Relics, New Players

The following day went on without a hitch. But while school was over, their training was not. Even though they kept doing their patrols, Master Fu insisted on them keep training their abilities, and as such, they all had to attend the training. That day’s exception was Adrien, who was still confined to his trailer back at the Fashion Week. The rest of the team was present, and ready to work out some sweat. Master Fu believed that Hawk Moth would not stay still for long, and they had to be ready for them. Since they had defeated Gargantua, they had focused on training their combined attacks, as well as coming up with new attack combinations. Ladybug herself had been training her skill with the Ampulla Amulet. Initially, it was hard for her to work with it, because although it seemed easy to activate it, she found out that to use its powers, she had to concentrate and tell it what it was supposed to do. The initial results were less than thrilling, and even Ladybug herself needed a little cheering up.

“Come on, you can do it.” -Volpina told her.

“I can’t… I’ve been trying for almost half an hour, and I can’t even put that statue the way it was.” -Ladybug sighed in frustration. –“I wonder if this is really working, or if it’s broken?”

“Come on, you’re not the kind of person to just give up after failing the first time.” –Jade Turtle tried to cheer her up.

“You’re right… but after the twenty-fifth time, I just feel like giving up.” -Ladybug said, as she sat on the ground. –“I’ll never be able to do this.”

“Sure, you will.” -Queen Bee told her. –“We didn’t choose you as our leader to hear you say things like that!”

“She’s right. You’re supposed to be our leader, and leaders don’t give up.” -Arachnid told her. He believed that some words of encouragement would not only cheer her up, but also make her see that giving up was not an option. 

“You can do it. We believe in you.” -Flamingo told her.

“Just one more time.” -Antelope said. –“Come on, we know you’ve got what it needs to make it work.” -he told her.

“He’s right. One more time.” -Dragonfly waved her head.

Listening to what her friends and teammates told her, Ladybug tried once again. Trying to activate the power in the amulet, seconds went by and nothing happened. The stone statue remained broken. Sighing in defeat, she cursed herself for her inability to make that damn thing work.

“Maybe there’s something wrong with it.” -Forest Doe hypothesized.

“There’s something wrong alright, but it’s not with the amulet… it’s with me.” -Ladybug said, almost on the brink of tears. 

“Maybe you’re trying too hard.” -Louve Grise told her. –“Maybe you’re trying to make it work so badly, that in the end, the amulet doesn’t respond, because you’re not feeling it. Try not to think about it. That’s what I do, when I want something to happen very much.”

Louve’s advice made sense. Sometimes, when you try too much, things don’t go the way they should. Perhaps, Ladybug was just trying too much to make the whole thing happen. Thinking about it, when she used her powers, she would let her body do the thinking for her, and not her brain. Clearing her mind, she clutched the amulet in her hands and tried once more to activate its power. This time, she managed to release the power’s amulet, which took the form of a pink energy wave and returned the broken statue to its former state. Seeing that happening, everyone was amazed by it, but none more than Ladybug herself, who after so many failed attempts, had managed to understand how the amulet’s magic worked. True it had been used to revert just one little statue to its former state, but to her, the amazing feeling coursing through her mind was the equivalent of her reverting an entire ruined city block.  

“I did it…” -Ladybug said, almost speechless.

“You did it, girl!” -Volpina exclaimed

“We knew you could do it!” -Panda Rouge told her.

“That’s our leader!” -Forest Doe said.

Looking out from one of the windows of the Guang Baohu temple, the old master pondered if he was to interfere and give Ladybug some words of wisdom, but in the end, her friends and teammates did it for him. Once more, teamwork had been the key for success. Still, though he was happy to see Ladybug progressing on her training to become the team’s undisputable leader, as well as the other team members mastering of their techniques and abilities, Master Fu knew there was a limit to what they could train among themselves. He knew that for them to become the warriors and protectors the Book of Prophecies had foretold, they would need something more. They would need their training to be a constant reminder that no matter how good they were becoming, that the odds of something even stronger than them showing up was great. To help them with that, he went through the dusty relics that were inside one of the many rooms of the temple, looking for the one he knew would be best suited for the job.

“ _I know it was here… where did it I put it?_ ” -Master Fu asked himself, as he kept going through the drawers of the numerous cabinets that were in that room. - “ _I may be old, but I know I’m not senile. That thing was here, after all I was the one who guarded it here._ ”

The old master knew that what he was looking for had to be in that room. He was the only one who had access to the Garden of the Ancients, with the exception of the young miraculous holders, and he knew that they had never been in that room before, so logically, the object he was looking for had to be there. After going through all the drawers and most of the trunks that were in the room, he finally found it, inside a small wooden box that was inside one of the cabinets.

“Found it! I knew it had to be around here.” -Master Fu exclaimed. –“ _Wait until they see what this little thing can do._ ” -he thought to himself.

Waiting a little for them to stop training, he brought them some tea for them to drink, so he could tell them exactly what he had in mind for them to progress on their training. As always, he had chosen Oolong tea for its benefits. That tea was known for relieve stress, as well as making people more alert about what surrounded them. Not to mention that it had a wonderful aroma, which the old man believed was relaxing. As he poured the tea into the cups, everyone grabbed one and waited for the tea to cool down, so they could drink it. Once that was done

“So, how’s the tea?” -the old master asked. He always liked to know how it was.

“It’s just what we needed.” -Volpina said.

“After this workout, we really deserve it.” -Corbeau Noire declared.

“I know. You’ve been getting better… I’m especially proud of you, my dear. You finally managed to use the power in the Ampulla Amulet.” -Master Fu said, while looking Ladybug in the eyes.

“Thank you, Master Fu. But I don’t know if I’ll be able to use it on a real fight just yet. It took me so long to just put that statue back the way it was… what if I need to use it on a real fight, and it won’t work? We can’t just let the place we fought in shambles… no, what I mean is, I can’t, because it’s my responsibility, as leader to ensure that everything goes back to the way it was. After all, you’ve given me the amulet, so it’s my responsibility.” -Ladybug declared, as doubt once more clouded her ideas.  

“it’s your responsibility, but that doesn’t mean you have to bear it all yourself.” -Queen Bee declared. –“We can help you. You just have to ask.” -she said.

“Sure, you will.” -Grizzly Bear told her.

“We already told you. You’ve got everything you need to pull that stunt off inside you.” –Volpina remembered her.

“Believe in yourself, and everything will be fine.” -Flamingo said, as she sipped her tea.

“I couldn’t have said it better, even if I wanted it to.” -Master Fu smiled.

“I guess one of these days we’ll be able to take over your job, when it comes to come out with snappy remarks and

“You still have a long way to get to my level, young Antelope-san.” -Master Fu joked about it, while making his infamous Kesuke Miyagi impersonation, which made everyone laugh.

“You got burned, you know that, right.?” -Dragonfly told Antelope, who just shrugged his shoulders.

“Still, I hope that you still have the energy for one last training exercise.”

“What kind of exercise?”

“The kind which I do believe you’ll enjoy it.” -Master Fu smiled. –“Allow me to show you something.” -he said, as he took out something his pocket. Holding it for everyone to see it, what he had in his hands was an egg-shaped polished snowflake obsidian, the size of a ping-pong ball. The only thing that made it stand out from other similar stones was a golden filament around it. 

“What is that?”

“This, is your next opponent.”

“Next opponent?”

“But that’s a rock…” -Queen Bee said. –“It’s a pretty rock, but still, just a rock.”

“It’s no ordinary rock, that I can guarantee you. This here is the Yingzi Obsidian, or the Shadow Obsidian.” -he told them. –“It is a very powerful and ancient relic, created by none other than Yao Lin himself. He created it with one very specific purpose… to help the miraculous holders to train.”

“But, how does a tiny little rock do that, master?” -Arachnid asked him.

“It may be tiny, and yes, it may look like it’s just an ordinary rock, but this rock has an ability that makes it unique, even among all the other relics created or found by Lee Zhou during his lifetime.” -Master Fu told him. –“This rock has the ability to create shadows that can assume just about any form and can think for themselves.”

“So, that thing can create for example, shadow doubles of all of us?”

“If that is what you want, then yes, it can. But it can also create all kinds of shadow enemies, and when I say all kinds, I mean all shapes and sizes. All you have to do is picture the creature or thing you want to go up against, touch the rock, and it will do its thing. The things created by it will remain for as long as you want to, or until you defeat them.” -Master Fu explained. –“And a word of advice, even the cuddliest of creatures can be terribly dangerous when summoned by the stone.”

“Even the cuddliest? You don’t mean to say that if I imagine a cute and fluffy bunny rabbit, this one will show up and try to eat me, do you?” -Flamingo asked him.

“Not eat, but it will certainly try to hurt you, my dear.” -Master Fu told her.

“That… is… awesome!!!” -Antelope exclaimed. –“Imagine all the kinds of enemies we can go up against

“But remember, the more complex the creature you conjure, the toughest it will be to defeat it. Plus, if you conjure things that exist either on real life or a fantasy world, they will have the same kind of abilities and the same amount of power as the real ones, if not more.” -the old master told him. –“That’s part of the challenge. It wouldn’t be much of a training if you could defeat the creatures created by it with one quick attack.”

“Which means, we have to be careful on what we ask the stone to conjure.” -Ladybug stated.

“In that case, no comic book villains like Doctor Doom, Thanos, Galactus, the Joker or Mr. Freeze, and no characters like Voldemort, Sauron or Pinhead.” -Arachnid told them.

“Stop being such a nerd, okay? We know quite well that conjuring those guys is asking for trouble as big as Hawk Moth.” -Queen Bee told him.

“I, for one, really want to try it.” -Grizzly Bear said. –“And I know just what I want to go up against.”

“Remember, don’t pick something that it might be too powerful.” -Forest Doe told him.

“Don’t worry, I think I can handle this guy by myself… and besides, I got you covering my back, right?” -Grizzly Bear smiled at Forest Doe, who returned the smile he gave her.

“And, what are you going to conjure?” -Panda Rouge asked him.

“Simple… my favourite Street Fighter character, Zangief.”

“Zangief? Really? You’re going to conjure a videogame character?” -Dragonfly asked him, a little in disbelief.

“Yeah. They’re always saying that he’s beaten several bears while training in Siberia. Well, it’s time to see if he can handle a real bear.” -Grizzly said, as he cracked his knuckles in anticipation.” –“How do I make him appear?”

“Simple. Just hold the stone in your hand, think really hard on it and then release it.” -Master Fu told him, as he gave him the stone.

“Sweet. This is going to be awesome!” -he said.

“ _Or a disaster…_ ” -Dragonfly thought sarcastically, rolling her eyes.  

* * *

 

Training with the Yingzi Obsidian proved to be even better than Master Fu expected it to be. One by one, they all tried it, and succeeded in defeating the creature or figure they conjured with the help of the stone. Some chose characters they had seen on videogames, comic books, TV series or even books, while others decided to use their imagination to come up with something they felt was a challenge.

When they finished, they all returned to normal, and Master Fu invited them inside the temple for one more cup of tea. This time, he chose sencha tea, a Japanese green tea. Its scent, just like Oolong, produced a sense of peace of relaxation. He served it along with a huge plate of sliced pineapple buns.

“You’re going to spoil us rotten with these things, master.” -Sabrina said.

“Ditto.” -Rose said. She was not a very big fan of tea, but after meeting Master Fu, she had begun to appreciate it.

“This is nothing. It’s my way to say, thank you to all for putting so much effort in this mission that has been given to you.” -Master Fu said. –“Plus, it’s an excuse for me to show off my culinary skills.” -he chuckled.

For a brief moment, no one talked. The only sound in the air was of tired and hungry teenagers and their kwamis feasting upon the delicious treats the old master had served them. It was Master Fu who broke the silence, by saying:

“Remember when I told you that when I thought you would be ready, I would grant you the power to come here whenever you pleased, without the need of going to my house?”

“Yes.” -Alya answered.

“Well, the day has arrived. You no longer will need to come to my home in order to come here.” -Master Fu declared, as he got up and went to the next room. A few seconds after, he came back with an ancient tray, filled with spherical jade-coloured stones. These all had a thing in common, aside from their colour and shape, and that was a beautiful red Chinese character carved in them.   

“More magical stones?” –Chloé asked.

“What did you expect? Magical pieces of wood?” -Alya shot at Chloé.

“And what are those magical stones?” –Sabrina asked.

“Those are the Shùn Yi stones.” -Wayzz said, recognizing them.

“The what, now?” -Max asked.

“Shùn Yi means teleport in Chinese.” -Marinette told him.

“Exactly, Marinette.” -Master Fu said, as he placed the tray with the stones in front of the teenagers and their kwamis.

“So, we’re going to use these stones to teleport ourselves here, whenever we want to?” -Juleka asked.

“No. They don’t work that way.” -Tamara told her.

“Your kwami is right. These magical stones are different from any other relics you have seen until now.” -Master Fu told her. –“The Shùn Yi stones are not to be worned by you. They are to be part of you. You see, these stones will be absorbed by each one of you, and become part of your body. Think of them as…”

“Midichlorians that enable you to use the Force?”

“Kim!!!!” -they all, including the kwamis, yelled at him.

“What?!”

“If you do one more pop culture reference, I’m going to strangle you with my bare hands, you hear me?!” -Alix warned him.

“Jeez, a guy can’t even make a joke anymore…”

“As much as I would like to say that that was one really bad example, I’m afraid the example Kim gave is actually quite good, and summarises what these stones will let you do.” -Master declared.  

“And who says that Star Wars prequels are useless?” -Kim said, while letting out a laugh.

“Grab me, or I’m really going to strangle him!” -Alix said, as both Max and Rose restrained her.

“Calm yourself, Alix. He’s not worth it.” -Daria told her.

“You better stop with the jokes, or this is going to turn into a bloodshed.” -Imp whispered to Kim.

“So, how do we absorb them? Do we touch them, or do we have to do something else?” -Ivan asked, as he looked at the stones.

“No, just touch them.”

That said, Ivan was the first one to try it. Touching one of the stones with his left hand, this one began to glow as soon as he touched it, and instantly disappeared into thin air. Still, Ivan could feel its energy coursing through his body, before it disappeared.

“So, how do you feel?” -Max asked him.

“I don’t know… I don’t feel different, if that’s what you’re asking.”

“And why should you feel any different, big guy?” -Muria teased him. –“Those stones are magical. Did you really think you were going to feel them inside of you, or that you would feel different by absorbing them? Believe me, nothing like that happens.”

“Well, if you say so.”

After that, each one of them touched one of the stones and absorbed them. Only one remained, Adrien’s, who was absent from training.

“Well, who’s going to deliver it to Adrien?” -Rose asked. –“He won’t be able to teleport here if he doesn’t have it.”

“As the leader, I think Marinette could pass by his home tonight and gave it to him.” -Alya suggested.

The idea sounded just what the doctor ordered, and Marinette would be lying to herself and others if she said she did not want to see Adrien once more that day. The thought of her showing up at Adrien’s window in her Ladybug outfit, then entering in his room to give him his Shùn Yi stone and perhaps convince him to go on a night patrol with her, was just beautiful. Still, it did not fell right to her. She had had the chance to be with him that day, so it was only fair for someone else to deliver him the stone to allow him to teleport himself into and out of the Garden of the Ancients when needed. Still thinking about what happened to Chloé that morning, she decided to give her that task.

“No, let Chloé give it to him.” -Marinette declared, to Alya’s surprise, who was not expecting to hear that. –“I’ve got a ton of things I need to do to help my parents after dinner. Think you can do me that favour?” -she asked, lying about what she had to do.

“S-Sure, of course.” -Chloé smiled.  

“Then, it’s settled.” -Master Fu said, as he grabbed the last Shùn Yi stone and handed it to Chloé. –“Don’t worry, you can touch it as will. A person can only absorb one of these stones.” -he warned her.

“I understand, master.” -Chloé said, as she carefully placed the stone inside her purse, right next to where Pollen had lodged herself.

“Well, that’s it for today. You better go home and start working on your homework. We wouldn’t want you to fall behind on your studies, now would we?”

“No, I guess not.” -Sabrina said, as she remembered the amount of homework they had been given that day. –“We better go, Mika.”

“Roger that, kiddo. And don’t worry, I’ll help you with that History report… After all, I’ve been around here so long that I’m practically a History book myself.” -Mika joked, making Sabrina giggle.

“Yeah, we should go and getting started on our homework, or Miss Bustier will have our heads for not doing them.” -Max said, as Ari landed on his right shoulder.

“See you later, Master Fu….” -Marinette said, when she and the others remembered one thing. They did not know how to use their new teleporting power. –“… uh, I guess we forgot to ask how this teleport-thingy works.”

“Oh, silly me! I forgot about it myself.” -Master Fu laughed of his own forgetfulness. –“it’s quite easy. You just need to think of the place you want to go and you will be automatically transported there.”

“Nice.” -Nino said. –“Does this mean, that we can use it to teleport anywhere we want to go?

“No, it doesn’t work that way. It only allows you to come and go from here. And one more thing, after you use it, you have to wait at least 30 minutes to use it once again.”

“And I thought that with this thing, I wouldn’t have to worry about getting to school or any other place on time, anymore.” -Kim sighed.

“Sorry to rain on your parade, but it doesn’t work that way.” -Master Fu told him.

“Well, at least you won’t be late for practice.” -Imp told him.

* * *

On that night, Adrien just wanted to disappear. His father had invited a guest for dinner and he had to attended it. As he put on his best shirt for the occasion, he kept thinking on how much fun he would be having, if he was out there, patrolling the city along with one of his friends, or even maybe all of them. Those last few days had been some of the worst days he had gone through in a while.

“Don’t…”

“Don’t want?”

“Don’t think about going out and ditch your father and his guest.” -Plagg told him. –“I know that I usually am the first one to say that you should do anything in your power to get away from a situation like this, but this time, I’m telling you that you should just do what you’re told to.”

“You’re right, you’re usually the first one to say such a thing.” –Adrien smirked, as Plagg kept hovering in front of him.

“I’m just saying that maybe, just maybe, this time, if you stick around and smile for you old man, something good will come out of it.” -Plagg told him.

“You’re still thinking about the conversation Marinette and I had yesterday, aren’t you?

“Yeah, maybe a little. I know that I’m usually a very big blabber mouth, but that doesn’t mean I’m only that.” -Plagg admitted. –“I guess, this is just my way to say…”

“That you’re sorry for what you said about my dad not caring about me?”

“Yeah… but don’t tell anyone I said that. I got a reputation to keep, you know?” -Plagg said, making Adrien laugh. –“Here, let me help you with that bowtie.” -he said, as he flew over to Adrien and quickly fixed his bowtie.

“Thanks, and don’t worry, I won’t tell anyone.”

“So, who’s the guest your dad invited? You didn’t tell me who it was, after you got that call from your dad.” -Plagg said.

“Oh, it’s Amélie Dufayel.”

“His fashion rival?! Are you kidding me?!” -Plagg practically screamed that last sentence.

“You understand now, why I just feel like getting out of here? I can tell you that this whole dinner is going to be a disaster, and I don’t even need the Book of Prophecies to predict that.” -Adrien said sarcastically.  

“Totally get it now.”

“He tried to come to terms with her a couple of years ago, by pulling this very same stunt, and it all backfired. We didn’t even get past the entrées before everything went… well you know what I’m talking about. I wish I had Rose’s duplication powers to help me out right now.” -Adrien told him, when he heard his cell buzzing. It was Nathalie, most likely telling him to come down. Picking it up, he answered it. –“Yes, Nathalie?”

“Your father and Miss Dufayel will arrive in about two minutes, Adrien. It would be wise for you to start coming down to greet them.”

“Okay, I’m on my way. Thanks for warning me.” -he said, as he hung up.

“Guess it’s show time.” -Plagg

“Yeah, and something tells me that I’m not going to enjoy the show.”

“You want me to go with you? I can keep my mouth shut, if I want to.”

“It’s okay. I can handle this.”

“Okay, but bring me a piece of Camembert, okay?”

“Weren’t you the one who said that you could steal a piece of Camembert from under our chef’s nose, while he was not looking?” -Adrien asked him. –“Then, let’s see if you are as good as you say you are.” -he smirked at Plagg, as he went out the door to wait for his dad’s arrival.    


	7. When Things Go Wrong

As he went down the stairs, Adrien tried to think of conversation themes for that dinner. His father was not much the talker, but he knew that Amélie Dufayel was a woman who loved to talk. The only thing she loved more than talking, was hearing the sound of her own voice, and Adrien knew that. When he reached the foyer, Nathalie was also there, waiting for Gabriel and his guest to knock at the door. In the air, he could smell the main course for that night…  salmon stuffed crab cakes with white asparagus and béchamel sauce, one of his father’s favourite seafood plate. 

“ _Dad’s favourite seafood plate. If he ordered this, then he really must believe that this night is going to end up in a disaster._ ” –Adrien thought to himself. –“ _He only asks his for his favourite foods when he’s certain that things won’t end up well… I just pray that both he and I are wrong about this night._ ” -he thought to himself.

He had just stepped out of the stairs, when there was knock at the door. Nathalie quickly opened it, to let both Gabriel and Amélie into the house. To both Adrien and Nathalie’s surprise, Amélie Dufayel was dressed in a way that reminded them of Cruella deVil. Sporting a white mink coat, along with a black cocktail dress and matching shoes, the only thing she needed to look exactly like the notorious villainess was her red hair being half white, half black. And like always, she was talking nineteen to a dozen; you could see that Gabriel Agreste was making an effort not to say anything, but if he could, he would clearly tell her to shut up. Complimenting them both, the three of them went into the living room, where they were going to serve some hors d’oeuvre.   

“ _I just hope the rest of the gang is having a better evening, than I am._ ” -Adrien thought to himself, as he followed both his father and their guest.

* * *

While dinner started at Agreste Manor, in Marinette’s house it had just ended. After helping her parents with the dishes, the blue-haired girl went up to her room to finish two things; her homework and some the sketch she had been working. While doing this, Tikki was standing still in front of her laptop watching anime. The world could come to an end, that while she had her eyes glued to the screen watching Japanese animation, she would not even notice. Marinette herself understood why she was practically mesmerized by those anime series, they could be very addictive. Still, at that rate, she would have to find something else for her to watch, because she was literally devouring the series one by one.

Putting those thoughts away, she tried to finish her homework as quickly as she could, so she could start sketching once again. The desire to go back to her sketches was great, but she still remembered what happened the first and only time she put her hobby ahead of her homework. When that happened, her parents grounded her during whole month, with no TV, no Internet and no access to her fabrics and fashion designs. That had been 3 years before, and ever since then, she had always made sure that would never happen again. Going through her notes, she tried to find the answer for that algebra question she was doing, while also trying to write her History report.

“Come on, I know I wrote the answer for this one somewhere around here.” -she thought to herself.

She ended up not finding the answer and had to improvise an answer. Marinette did not like to do that, but at least it was done, and she could then get the right answer in class. Focusing on her History report, she had to choose an historical figure of the 20th century that had revolutionized something in society. Many came to her mind, but there was one that stood above all of them… Mary Quant, the creator of the miniskirt and the hot pants. She decided to write the report on her, and being someone who knew so much about fashion, Marinette knew by heart most of Mary Quant’s life, writing that report proved to be a cinch. When she finished it, she took a couple of minutes to re-read it and see if everything was alright with it. Happy with what she had written, she declared it finished and ready to be delivered in the morning. With her homework finished, Marinette wasted no time in going back to her sketches. Grabbing her sketchbook and her iPod, she turned it on and started to sketch to the music of one of her favourite music artists, Jagged Stone. Marinette was a fan of all kinds of music. She particularly like classical, disco, hip-hop, K-Pop and J-Pop, metal and rock. There were countless artists she loved to hear, but none of them could hold a candle to Jagged Stone. His letters were so irreverent, so passionate, so amazing, she felt that he talked to every single fan in his songs. Bobbing her head to the beat, Marinette quickly began to sketch, driven by the sound of the songs.

Like always, she could not help but to give faces to the models in her sketches, and these were the faces of some of her friends. Her trace was not as pronounced as Nathaniel’s when drawing faces, but one could still distinguish who was who. On that night, she decided to use Alya and Adrien’s faces on the models. Chuckling, she went on sketching, until she had something she deemed beautiful by her patterns.         

“There, all finished.” -Marinette exclaimed, smiling proudly.

“What’s finished, Marinette?” -Tikki asked her. She had been so focused watching the last episodes of Cardcaptor Sakura that she did not even notice Marinette coming in, after dinner.

“Uh, what?” -the blue haired girl said, as she removed her earphones. –“What did you say, Tikki?”

“I asked, what were you saying?”

“Oh, I was saying that I finished my latest sketch. You want to see it, or do you want to first finish watching that episode?” -Marinette asked her, as she paused the song she was listening to.

“No, it just ended now.” -Tikki said, as she closed the application and flew over to where Marinette was. –“Show me, please.”

Marinette showed her the multiple drawings she had done and Tikki loved them all. But the one that caught her eye was a jacket. The jacket’s design was kind of futuristic, but at the same time, it had some sportive elements like the ones seen in Kim and Alix’s clothes.

“This one is really pretty.”

“Oh, that one. That’s my favourite you know?” -the blue-haired girl boasted herself.

“By the way, where’s the one you said you were making for Alya?” -Tikki asked her.

“Oh, that one, that one’s right over here.” -Marinette said, as she flipped a couple of pages. –“This is the one… I still haven’t finished it, but once I do, it’s going to be something really awesome.” -she said, as she pointed out the sketch in question. She had resketched the whole thing, trying to make it even more awesome, but still had not found the definite angle.

“I’m sure it will, and I’m sure that she’ll love it. You’re her best friend, and you know her as well as she knows you...” -Tikki commented, when Marinette’s cell started vibrating, startling her. Looking at it, she saw Alya’s name on the screen. –“Speaking of the devil…” -she said, as Marinette grabbed the phone and answered it.

“Marinette Dupain-Cheng, fashion designer extraordinaire and superheroine speaking!”

“Hey, girl, hope I’m not interrupting anything.”

“No, it’s okay. I was just here showing a few sketches I did to Tikki.” -Marinette giggled. –“What about you?”

“I’m here with Trixx, trying to administer my blog. Trixx says hi, by the way.” -Alya said.

“Tell her hi from me and Tikki.” -Marinette said. –“And how’s the blog coming along?”

“Do you believe that I’m this close to literally going insane with the huge number of photos that people are sending me…” -she sighed.

“Well, why don’t you ask Nino or Max to help you with that?”

“They’re both busy tonight, and I have to get this done until the end of the night.”

“Why? Couldn’t you upload them tomorrow or something?” -Marinette asked her, not understanding why her friend was in such a hurry to get that thing done.

“Not if I want to relaunch the blog with the new logo Nathaniel did for it.” -Alya explained her.

“What? A new logo?” -Marinette exclaimed. –“Hold on, let me put on you on speaker.” -she said. –“What do you mean a new logo? What was wrong with the old one?”

“What was wrong with the old one? Girl, it was simple, it was old fashioned… it didn’t reflect what the blog was all about. I created this blog to be the one blog that covers everything we do as a team, so, I wanted people to understand that when they enter it... I want them to understand that the blog is about the whole team, and not just one or two members of it, like it happens with lots of other blogs and webpages about us.” -Alya told her. –“Besides, Nathaniel created something that literally is one of the most awesome things I’ve ever seen.”

“It literally is great. She’s been drooling over the image since he finished it.” -Trixx joked.

“Trixx!” -Alya exclaimed.

“Can we have a sneak peak of it, please?” -Marinette asked her, as Tikki waved her head, supporting that idea.

“Hold on, I’m sending it to your email.”

A few seconds after, Marinette went to her laptop and checked her email. Opening the email Alya had just sent her, she saw why she really wanted to change the old logo for that new one. The new one was simple, yet complex in its design. In the middle, there was Ladybug’s logo, while the remaining insignias were around it, mirroring the Round Table, just like Nathaniel had intended. On top of that, the colours that he had chosen for it matched to a tee the colours in everyone’s uniforms and miraculouses. In sum, it was a beautiful piece of art, and it was going to be on display for everyone who accessed Alya’s blog about their team.  

“It’s… beautiful.” -Marinette said, nearly speechless.

“Say what, girl? I can’t hear you!” -Alya said over the phone. Tikki flew over to the Marinette’s phone, which she left on her chaise-longue, and said:

“She said it’s beautiful… and I think so too.”

“You also like it?” -Trixx said.

“Yes. It’s very colourful.”

“You’re not just saying that because the badge that is associated with you is the one in the middle, that also happens to be bigger than the others, or are you?” -Trixx asked Tikki.

“No, I’m not. You know me better than that.” -Tikki told her.

* * *

Rose was home alone. Her dad was working, and would only come home around one in the morning, and her mom had gone to her grandparents’ house to help her grandmother taking care of her grandfather who was sick, and would only come back the following day. She had finished her homework and had cooked up a little snack for her and Flint, and was now vegetating in front of the TV. Still, even what was on captivated her attention, leading her to turn it off, much to Flint’s discontent, who was enjoying watching it.  

“Hey! I was watching that!” -Flint protested.

“Flint, you already saw that two days ago…” -Rose said, as she dropped the remote control, which fell on a nearby pillow.

“Hey, come on, it’s a sin not to watch the acts of the best stand-up comedians at the Apollo Theatre!” -Flint told her. He had been addicted to that show, ever since he found out about its existence. Considering himself a stand-up comedian of sorts, Flint loved to watch the show, because he could get new material for when he needed a cool joke.  

“I’m just not in the mood…” -Rose sighed.

“Want to hear a joke?” -Flint asked her.

“No, not tonight…”

“I’ll say it anyway, because you always laugh of my jokes.” -the flamingo kwami said. –“What did one plate say to the other? Lunch is on me!” -he exclaimed, but Rose did not laugh. The best he could do was yank her a little smile. –“Oh, come on! This was a good one! Prime material!”

“I’m sorry, Flint… I’m just not in the mood for anything.” -she sighed once more.

“Are you worried about something?” -Flint asked her.

“No, it’s just that I don’t feel like being alone tonight.” -Rose told him. –“I know you’re here and all, and you’re a great company, but… I don’t know, I just need someone else to talk to.” -she told Flint, before the kwami could say anything.

“Okay, okay, I get it… look, why don’t you go out? Maybe that’s what you need. Go on patrol, get some air in that head of yours, clear your thoughts… you know what I’m talking about. The night’s not that chilly anyway, so you won’t risk getting a cold.” -he told her.

“I don’t know… if I had some company, I might go.” -Rose said.

“Why don’t you call Juleka? She’s your best friend. If I can’t yank a laugh out of you, then maybe she can.” -Flint declared.

Rose smiled. The idea of going out on patrol with Juleka sounded exactly what she needed to relax. She had not told anyone, not even Flint, but for almost a week now, she had something in her mind. Something that was making her nervous and edgy. Though she had been able to hide it from everybody until then, being alone at home with nothing to do, made her think about that very same problem and making her nervous by the minute.

“You’re right… I’ll see if she wants to come.” –Rose said, with an already spiffier voice, as she grabbed her cell and made the call. –“Hello, Juleka? I was wondering, would you like to come on patrol with me?”

Juleka’s answer was instant. She too was bored. They decided to meet at their usual spot in two minutes. As she hung up, she looked at her kwami and smiled.

“So, we’re going?” -Flint asked her.

“Yup, we’re going, Flint.” -Rose told her.

“Just say the magic words, then.”

“Okay, then. Here it goes… Flint, transforme moi!”

With those words, Rose quickly turned into her superhero alter-ego, Flamingo. Putting on the costume made her feel much better on the spot. Opening the window that gave to the balcony, she let the cool night air caress her face, before closing the window behind her.

Gaining balance, she took off into the night sky, making her way to the designated point, she had agreed to meet Juleka. And, just like they had agreed, she was already there, as Corbeau Noire, waiting for her, on top of the Basilique of Sacré-Coeur. Built in 1875, it was designed by Paul Abadie, it was finished in 1914, the year of the First World War. Dedicated to the Sacred Heart, it had since been a favourite hotspot for tourists, advertised as one of the most romantic places in Paris. That had been their usual meeting point, since they had started patrolling the city at night. They chose it because it was close to both their homes, but also, because they loved the view they had from the city.   

“Hey!” -Flamingo saluted her friend.

“Took you long enough.” -Corbeau Noire declared.

“Oh, come on, it didn’t take me that long.” -Flamingo told her. –“I bet you arrived 10 seconds ago.”

“15 to be exact.” -Corbeau Noire smiled. –“ _My God, you’re so pretty tonight._ ” -she thought to herself.

“Well, if I lived three blocks closer, I would’ve gotten here faster.” -Flamingo told her. –“ _God, that outfit of yours makes you look so hot…_ ” -she thought to herself.

“Fair enough. So, where do you want to go patrolling tonight?”

“I don’t know… can… can we just stay here for a bit, looking at the people down there?”

“Sure.” -Corbeau Noire said.

And like that, they stayed right there, in silence, just looking at the people that were enjoying a walk in the park below. In the air, there was the sound of giggles, mixed with the distant carnivalesque music from the Montmartre Carousel that kept spinning around, taking boys and girls of all ages, including adults for a three-minute joy-ride. From all the carousels in Paris, that one was probably the most famous of them, in part due to its appearance in the 2001 film _Amélie_ , in which the main characters play a game of cat and mouse starting there. Still, on that night, Rose, aka. Flamingo, had other things in her head that were preventing her from appreciating the simple things like that.  

“Look… don’t take this the wrong way, but, are you alright?” -Corbeau Noire asked her friend. She had noticed she was not acting like her usual self, and wondered why that was happening.

“Of course, I’m alright. Why wouldn’t I be?” -Flamingo

“Rose, stop that!” -Corbeau Noire exclaimed, treating her by her real name.

“Stop, what?”

“That! You’re my best friend, I know when you’re lying to me.” -Corbeau Noire told her, as she kept looking her directly in the eyes. –“And I know that you’re not alright. Your voice on the phone told me that something was not right, but I put the hypothesis that it was just my imagination playing tricks on me. But now, I know that I wasn’t imagining things… tell me, what’s wrong?” -she demanded to know.  

“Can you keep a secret?” -Flamingo asked her, a bit apprehensive.

“What kind of a question is that? You know my mouth’s a tomb.”

“Well, then… Corb.... I mean, Juleka, I… I… I’ve been really worried about something.” -Flamingo said. It was the first time she admitted out loud that that problem was eating her for the inside.

“Worried, about what?”

“Do you remember before this summer, when I told you about the possibility of me attending a ballet school?”

“Of course, I do.” -Corbeau Noire smiled. –“You spent a whole month talking about that.”  

“Well, I’ve been thinking about it again lately… and I don’t know if I should apply to one.” -Flamingo said, the last bit almost spoken in a whisper.

“Why not?” -Corbeau Noire asked her friend.

“Well, because I don’t know if I’m talented enough to be a ballet dancer.” -Flamingo said. There, she said it, she was afraid of not being talented enough… to not have what it took to be a ballet dancer.

“What are you talking about? I’ve seen you dance before. You are great at it! Heck, even when you’re fighting, the way you move and attack looks like you’re dancing.” -Corbeau Noire told her, and every word she told her was the truth.

“But that’s different. Ballet is supposed to be about coordination, grace and pose…”

“Which you have.”

“But, what if I’m not good enough?!” -Flamingo exclaimed. Her friend and teammate could see the fear in her eyes.

“You’re worried about that? Look, you went up against a giant monster and a huge army of shadowy minions created by a psychopath, without breaking a sweat, and you’re worried about that?” -Corbeau Noire asked her. –“And I know you were afraid when you went up against it.” -she remembered about it, because she was holding her hand, and the blonde would only do that when she was scared.  

“But back then I wasn’t alone. I had you, and I had everyone else backing me up.”  -Flamingo said. –“If I do try to get into the ballet school I want to, I’ll be alone during the trials. It’ll be all up to me, no one else.” -she went on. –“And what if they refuse me? That’ll mean it’s because I’m not good enough.”

“Then, we’ll be here for you. I’ll be here for you.” -Corbeau Noire smiled at her, remembering her that she would not be the only one there to support her; the rest of her friends would also be there. –“I remember you telling me that becoming a ballet dancer was one of your biggest dreams, and I know you’re good enough to make it happen. But, if it’s not meant to be, then it’s not the end of the world. It’s just the end of a dream. You can always find another dream.”

“You really think so?” -Flamingo asked her. Even wearing the mask, she could not hide the fact that she was shedding a few tears.

“I know so.” -Corbeau Noire told her, as she tried to contain her tears.  –“I know you’ll give a great… no, not great, a wonderful ballet dancer. And I’ll be there to watch that happening, as your best friend.”

Those words were just what the blonde needed to hear. She desperately needed to hear someone say that if she did not make it, that it would not be the end of the world. But more than that, that no matter how many time you fail, you have to find the strength to pick yourself up and go for another round. As a couple of tears ran down her pearly white face, and over the pink and black mask, she hugged the brunette as tightly as she could.  

“Thanks, Juleka… I really needed to hear that.” -Flamingo told her, as she tried her best to stop crying.

“Don’t mention it… but, we might want to start calling each other by our superhero names, Rose. You never know if someone is listening… though, I doubt that anyone is up here with us.” -Corbeau Noire told her with a smile.

“You’re right, sorry.” -Flamingo smiled back, as she wiped her tears.

“So, have you told your parents about this?”

“Not yet, but I’m going to, tomorrow at dinner. The trials are next week, and I still need to come up with a routine.”

“Do you want help with that? I mean, I could help you, and well, the rest of the guys would also help, if you ask them.” -Corbeau Noire asked Flamingo.

“Usually, I would say that I wouldn’t, but with so little time, I guess there’s nothing wrong with asking for a little help.” -Flamingo chuckled.  

“Deal. We’ll ask them tomorrow.” -Corbeau Noire declared. –“Do you still feel like going on patrol? I don’t have to go home right away.” -she smiled.

“With you? Anytime…” -Flamingo smiled back at her. - “Race you to Montparnasse Tower!” -she exclaimed, as she took off into the sky, laughing out of happiness, feeling like a huge weight it had been lift from her chest. 

* * *

Unfortunately, things were not going as well back at the Agreste Manor. Just like Adrien had predicted, the dinner was a colossal disaster. The only thing in his prediction that did not happen was that things went haywire after the main dish, instead of the entrées. The pour young man was still trying to understand who had started that fight, and what exactly had been said to light up the spark of discord in that room. Though one thing was certain to him, whatever it had been, it had a devastating effect. Gabriel Agreste, who saw himself as a generally calm man, was practically bursting with rage, and as for Amélie Dufayel, she was yelling at him as loudly as her lungs allowed her.

“How dare you accuse of me such a thing?!” -Gabriel practically screamed at her.

“If the shoe fits!” -Amélie shot at Gabriel, who by now was seeing his patience being tested and taken to its limits. Still, he was not going to let that woman get the best of him, especially because he hated to scream in front of his son.

“Miss Dufayel, with all due respect, but I must ask you to leave, right this instant. –Gabriel told her, as calmly and well-mannered as his temperament allowed him to.  

“Not without me saying a couple of words regarding you and your creations!” -Amélie went on with her insults.

Pennants were exchanged between the two of them, and though Gabriel tried his best not to let his anger get the best of him, the woman made it impossible for him to take it. It was true that she was older than him and was in the fashion world a little longer than he was, but that did not give her the authority or the ability to judge what he did when he was creating. And while this happened, Adrien just stood there in the middle of all that, trying to figure out a way to either end all of that, or at least, finding a suitable excuse to get out of there. Still, before he could do one of those things, Gabriel put an end to all of it.

“Madame, I must insist that you leave now…”

“You don’t have to tell me anything, you hear me, you, Bourgeois pig! You may know how to combine colours, but you do not know anything about fashion, or about style!!!” -Amélie Dufayel exclaimed, as she left the table. –“And one more thing, believe me when I tell you that my collection will make yours look like yesterday’s garbage in exactly two days, when I close the event!” -she added, as she storming out of the house, leaving both father and son alone in the dining room.   

“ _Well, that could have gone better…_ ” -Adrien told himself.


	8. A Night to Forget and Remember

The night ended the way it was predicted by both Adrien and Gabriel Agreste… a complete disaster. Gabriel thought that he might actually find a way to bury the hatchet with Amélie Dufayel, but, in the end, his best efforts backfired on him. But, he was not the only one on that night with problems.

Down in the sewers, hidden from the rest of the world, Hawk Moth remained locked up in his chambers. He had not left that place ever since Gargantua had been defeated, and it was not because he did not want to… it was because he could not risk it. A few days after his massive monster was defeated by the Miraculous Team, he began looking for a way to destroy them. He feared that Reptile and Madame Romani together would not be enough to do the job… so, he decided that he himself would go up against those infernal teenagers himself. But, he found out that he had expended too much energy when he recruited his lieutenants and created his Akuma butterflies to do his bidding; power that was not coming back as quickly as he hoped for. He was still quite strong, but not strong enough to take Ladybug and all her comrades on his own, and that would just not do.

“ _Though this body has remained strong and ageless while I was turned into stone, it’s now starting to be affected by the sands of time, and I’m not strong enough to cast the proper spell that will allow me to regain my full strength back instantly… at least, for a little longer._ ” -Hawk Moth thought to himself. That was the reason why he had only asked Reptile to go looking for another target… he was weak, and needed someone to stay and protect him, and that someone was Madame Romani. Hawk Moth gained strength from every one of his creations when they were either around him or doing his bidding, but running so low on power, he had to keep one of his lieutenants around in case something happened. His pride had prevented him from even discussing what was going on. He preferred to suffer in silence, and let his lieutenants believe that he just wanted to be left alone. In his twisted mind, to show that he was weak went up against everything he defended, and he could not let his lieutenants’ see him in that state. –“ _I must remain here until my power is full restored. And until then, I must keep Madame Romani near me… her power grows as each day goes by, and it will help me gain my strength back as well Reptile’s power is quite strong, but hers is a power that is more like mine, and for that, I chose him to go around doing my bidding, instead of her._ ” -he told himself. –“ _But it’s not enough… Reptile must find me another target so you can akumatize at will, my pretties, and soon. The next person who’s heart I take control of not only will replenish my full power, but it will also destroy those infernal kids, once and for all._ ”

Approaching the huge oval mirror that was existed in that room, Hawk Moth lifted his cane and with its top, touched the mirrored surface, make it wobble, as if the mirror itself was made from liquid metal. Soon, it started to swirl and an image appeared. The image was none other than the image of Ladybug and the rest of her team on the very first time they met him. He looked at her eyes and the eyes of every last one of them; the way they glistened with confidence and determination, the same confidence and determination he planned to crush and extinguish from them.   

“ _Yes, Ladybug… you and your friends think that you’re invincible and that you can handle anything I can throw at you, just because you destroyed one of my creations.”_ -he mused to himself. –“But believe me, when I say that you haven’t seen anything yet… I promise you that you will regret the day that you went up against me, for I will unleash Hell upon the Earth if needed, just to destroy you and those blasted miraculouses of yours!” -he yelled, as he in anger created a small sphere of purple energy and threw it at the mirror, shattering it into a thousand pieces.

The sound of the explosion alerted Madame Romani, who was using her crystal ball to try and watch television. Though she had changed in ways that she never imagined possible, some of her old tastes, like watching cheesy soap operas remained intact, and she recently had found that her powers enabled her not only to contact other through the crystal ball, which projected her image wherever she wanted to, but also allowed her to pick up television and radio signals. Dropping what she was doing, she quickly run to see what was going on. Not seeing anything out of place, she quickly assumed that the noise had come from her master’s chambers. Knocking at the door, she said:  

“Master Hawk Moth, sir?! Is everything alright?” -Madame Romani asked him.

“I’m fine!” -Hawk Moth answered her.

“Are you sure? It sounded like a mighty explosion…” -she insisted on the matter.

“I said I was fine! Has Reptile come back yet?” -he asked her, trying to change subject.

“N-Not yet, master.”

“Well, then, when he comes back, let him know that I’m losing my patience…” -he told her, with a low and menacing tone of voice.

“Yes, master.” -Madame Romani responded, as she walked away from the door and headed back into the main chamber. _–“If this keeps up, and Reptile does fail his assignment, not only he will be punished, but I will be able to prove to Master Hawk Moth that I am much more reliable than he will ever be._ ” -she thought to herself, not even imagining the real reason why Hawk Moth had sent Reptile to do his bidding, instead of her. 

* * *

Amélie Dufayel was absolutely furious when she exited Agreste Manor. When Gabriel Agreste asked her to have dinner with him and his son, she had hopes that he had finally agreed to bury the hatchet, and admit that she was superior to him when it came to fashion. Unfortunately, he did no such thing. Instead, he did quite opposite; he criticized her style and her taste. He did it so in a rather polite way, but still, a critic is a critic and the redhead had always hated critics. Ever since she had entered the world of fashion, she had met various fashion critics who had tried to destroy her place in the world of fashion by pointing out the numerous things they did not like about her work. But, she had managed to obliterate them all, by making her work known and by reinventing things that were considered the fashion standard. And, as she made her way up the food chain, she made many enemies and rivals, all of which she despised and saw as above her. But none of them deserved more hatred and contempt for, than Gabriel Agreste.  

“ _That bourgeois pig! He’ll regret the day he ever said those things about my work!_ ” -she thought to herself. –“Step on it! I must get home at once!” -she yelled at her driver.

She was in a hurry to get home, not because she wanted to, but because she needed. Though she had worked to make her spring/summer collection the best she had ever conceived, and believed it to be so, during the heated argument she had with Gabriel Agreste, he pointed out something that was on a creation, a very particular and important creation, she had come up with for that collection, and should not be. And if there was something she hated more than her rivals to point out flaws on her perfect designs, was she herself not having noticed it a flaw, when she created it. That flaw could ruin everything, and it had to be dealt with, immediately.

Amélie Dufayel lived in an old mansion in Versailles. She had bought it a couple of years before, and it had turned it into both her residence and her workshop, where she supervised all her creations. The building itself had been built in the beginning of the 18th century, just before the fall of the monarchy, and as such, it reflected the opulence and wealth of that time, both on the inside and outside, matching the owner’s personality and ego. And as she arrived, Nina Vincent, her assistant was about to leave. Nina was the latest of Amélie Dufayel’s assistants, and by assistant, it meant that she was to do everything she was told to do, from reviewing her speeches to bringing her a soy latte, even if that meant going to the other side of Paris just to pick it up. Due to her temperament, most assistants she hired would not last long around her, because she would fire them over the tiniest mistake, or they would just quit. Nina was with her for only 4 months and that was a record. She did not like her boss, and she had thought about quitting multiple times. Still, if she wanted a shot of making her name in the fashion industry, she would have to endure certain things, even temperamental bosses.

She had been asked, or better yet, ordered by Amélie Dufayel to supervise the rest of the dresses that were going to be worn by the models on the following day and make sure that they were all properly shipped to the event. It was nearly 10 o’clock when she finally shipped the last box through the moving company. She was nearly deadbeat and could not wait to go home and sleep for a couple of hours, before coming back to work. As she grabbed her things, she envied the seamstresses that worked for Miss Dufayel, especially because they had finished work by 6 o’clock. Still, that work day had come to an end, and she could now go home… or at least, that was what she thought.

“Where do you think you’re going?!” -Amélie asked, as she got out of the car.

“Oh, Miss Dufayel… I was about to leave.” -Nina answered her.

“Well, you’re not leaving anymore!” -Amélie shot at her. –“Tell me, is the Rosenberg ready?” -she asked. The Rosenberg dress was the dress that Dufayel had decided would end her show and close Paris Fashion Week. She had named it like that, not because it had any particular meaning, but because it sounded appealing to the ear, revealing just how brilliant, and at the same time, how futile she could be. She worked on it for nearly a month, sketching it and overlooking its entire production herself.

“Almost. There are just a couple of minor details that haven’t been sewn, but the seamstresses said that it would be finished by tomorrow morning, so the model can try it.” -Nina said, forcing a smile on her face. She was exhausted and just wanted to go home. –“What do you mean by…”

“Call them back immediately and tell them that I want them in my workshop in an hour! We’re going to redesign it from scratch and start working on it tonight!” -she exclaimed. You could hear the rage and the fury in her voice. One would not need to be a psychic to figure out that the dinner had ended in a disaster.

“T-Tonight?!” -Nina asked, stuttering. –“B-But, Miss Dufayel, I-I was already on my way out, and the seamstresses…”

“You’re not going anywhere, you hear me?!” -Amélie yelled at her. –“I’m going to need someone to help me and to make sure that those blasted seamstresses don’t screw up anything! I’ve got less than 48 hours to prove to that Gabriel Agreste that I’m superior to him in every way, and by God, I won’t let anyone stop me from doing it!” -she kept yelling at her, her eyes seeming like they were about to pop out of their sockets.

“B-But Miss Dufayel, with all due respect, redesigning the Rosenberg on such short notice… it’s an impossible task. We’ll never have it ready for the show in two days.”

“Don’t tell me what’s possible or not, you imbecile!!! The only thing that’ll make it impossible is you not having called those seamstresses already! Now call them back, immediately, and then come into my office. I’ll pull an all-nighter if I have to finish the redesign, and you’re going to help me, whether you like it or not!”

“But…”

“Do it, or I find someone to do your job! There are hundreds of girls who would sell their soul just to be in your shoes right about now!”

“ _Doubt it, with your attitude…_ ” -Nina thought to herself. –“Yes, Miss Dufayel.” -she answered her.

“Well then, what are you waiting for?! Call those seamstresses! Call them!!!!” –Amélie yelled, as she entered the house –“And once you’re finished, go to my office and wait for me there! Imbeciles… I’m surrounded by imbeciles!” -she went on.

As she called the seamstresses to come back, Nina could not help but to think just how much she hated her boss right then. If only she had gotten out a few minutes before, she would probably not have to stay and do an all-nighter. But, knowing Amélie Dufayel, she would most likely call her and demand that she would turn around and come work.

“ _Stupid witch! One of these days you’ll get what’s coming to you._ ” -she told herself   

* * *

Dispensing desert, Gabriel Agreste excused himself to his son and retired to his studio, Adrien himself also dispensed desert and went to his room. Just before opening the door, he heard the television was on; Plagg had turned it on to watch something. Turning the handle and opening the door, he saw that he was right. The TV was showing an old black and white movie, which Adrien quickly recognized. It was the 1934 version of The Count of Monte Cristo. Closing the door behind him, Adrien went to the couch and sat next to Plagg, without uttering a single word.

“It was that bad, huh?”

“What do you think?”

“I think that both her and your father have a good set of lungs… although, if that was a competition, I bet that she would have won easily.” -Plagg tried to lighten the mood of that conversation.  

“I don’t even know what sparked that fight… it could have been my dad telling her that her shoes did not match, or it could have been that his latest collection was not to her taste, I don’t know. But I can tell you this, Plagg, the way she acts and yells at everybody, she needs a psychiatrist.” -Adrien told his kwami, as he took off his bowtie.  

“Look on the bright side of things. That way you won’t put on weight and you are sure that you father will never remarry, at least not with her.” -Plagg joked about it, making Adrien crack a smile.  

“Well, you do have a point… the odds of my father remarrying with that woman are absolutely none.” -Adrien said. –“hey, could you turn up the volume a bit? That’s my favourite part.”

Until then, the night had been anything but pleasant to Adrien, but now that the dinner was over and that crazy Amélie Dufayel was gone, he could at least enjoy some quality time with his kwami, before going to bed. The two of them went on watching movie, when they both heard something hitting against the window. Looking up to one of the windows, the two of them were startled to see someone knocking against it… and that someone was none other than Queen Bee, Chloé’s superhero alter-ego. When she saw that they had both seen her, she signalled Adrien to open the window for her to enter. ´

“What are you doing here?” -Adrien asked her, as he opened the door and let her in.

“Came here to give you something.” -Queen Bee told him, as she landed on the floor.

“Something? What is it?” -Adrien asked her, as he closed the window.

“Hold on, Adrien, first, let me turn back into my good old self.” -Queen Bee said, when Plagg flew over and hovered in front of her.

“Are you sure you didn’t just come by to flirt with him?” -Plagg joked.

“Don’t be silly.” -Queen Bee told him. –“ _Although it wouldn’t be a bad idea, if you think about it._ ” -she thought to herself, as a naughty smile appeared in her face.

Turning back into her civilian form, Chloé then gave Adrien a huge hug, and planted a kiss on his left cheek. Smiling, she then let Pollen land on the palm of her hand. It amazed Adrien just how the blonde and her kwami became inseparable, especially given her apiphobia. It was only thanks to Master Fu, and plenty of support from Sabrina, that Chloé had gotten over her fear of bees. She was still a little bit afraid of them, but not as before, and more importantly, she was not afraid of her kwami, who looked a little bit tired.

“Are you tired?”

“A little… but nothing that a little honey won’t fix.” -Pollen told her with a smile.

“Hold on, you little glutton.” -Chloé told her, as she reached for her purse and took out something small from it. It was a piece candy, wrapped in golden paper, with a beehive stamped on it. –“I know it’s not the same, but this honey-flavoured candy will have to do for not. Once we get home, I’ll give you some real honey, okay?” -she said, always with a smile.

“Deal, Chloé.” -Pollen smiled, as she unwrapped the piece of candy, and began to lick it.    

“Sorry, where were we, Adrikins?” -the blonde asked Adrien, treating him by the nickname she had given him.

“You were going to give me something you brought me.” -Adrien told her.

“Oh, right, here.” -Chloé said, as she went through her purse and grabbed the Shùn Yi stone. -“This is for you. Marinette told me to give it to you; it’s from Master Fu.”

“What is it?” -Adrien asked her.

“Ha, I know what it is! It’s one of the Shùn Yi stones.” -Plagg exclaimed, recognizing it.

“It will allow you to teleport to the Garden of the Ancients and back, from wherever you are.” -Pollen said.

“That way we don’t have to stop by Master Fu’s place, every time we need to go training.” -Chloé told him.

“And, how does it work?”

“You just need to touch it and it will be absorbed into you. After that, you just need to think of the Garden of the Ancients, and you’ll be transported there.” -Plagg explained him. –“Then, you can also use it to teleport to the place you were before, but you can’t use it to teleport to other places. It doesn’t work that way.”

“That was the part that Kim hated about it, because he thought that with it, he could stay in bed longer and then show up in school, a minute before classes began.” -Chloé told him about it.

“I kinda sympathized with that part… it would be cool if we could actually use it to get to places, other than the Garden of the Ancients.” -Adrien said, as he looked at the sphere that rested on Chloé’s open hand. –“Just need to touch it, huh? Okay, I can do that.”

Doing it, as soon as Adrien’s fingers touched it, the sphere disappeared and a small burst of energy was felt by him, coursing through his body.

“Whoa, it tickles.”

“A little.” -Chloé said. –“Oh, one more thing and this is important. Once you’ve used its power, you need to wait 30 minutes to use it again… thank God time in the Garden of Ancients moves independently from the time here, or that would be a very big problem.” -she said.        

“Dully noted, thanks.” -Adrien smiled at her.

“Well, that’s that. I guess I should be going now.” -Chloé told him, though she hoped Adrien would invite her to stay a little longer. It was no secret that Chloé liked Adrien, and he knew that. As for him, he only saw her as a friend; a good friend, but still only a friend. Chloé knew that, but that did not mean she would not try to change that.

“Hey, could you stay a little longer?” -Adrien asked her. Over the course of that week, he had only been able to talk to his friends for a few minutes. The one he had spoken for longer was Nino, because when it came to her, Sabrina and even Marinette, he was only able to speak to them for a couple of minutes.

“Well, I don’t have to go already.” -Chloé told him. –“You want me to stay?”

“Yeah, if you don’t mind.”

“You got it, Adrienkins!” -Chloé said, as she sat on the couch, with Pollen landing on top of her head.  

The two then sat down to talk for a bit. He told her about what had happened at dinner. Then, her asked her about what she had been doing and what the rest of the class had been up to, and Chloé filled him in as best as she could. She told them what had been happening in school; how Kim had hurt his back, how he and Alix were both trying to record a video to enter a competition; how Marinette had learned to use the power in the Ampulla Amulet, among other things. He really felt sad while hearing her. He hated the fact that he was missing on all of that, because of the Paris Fashion Week. He was eager for the end of the event, so he could go back to school and back to his second family, as he liked to call his friends… but most of all, he was eager to go back to being able to turn into Chat Noir and roam the streets of Paris on patrol, either alone, or with one of the members of the Miraculous Team. During that week, he had only one chance to do so, and when he came home, he wished that that week would be over in a blink.

“You guys have been having all the fun.” -Adrien sighed. –“What I wouldn’t give to be part of that video, or to just hang out with one of you guys after school.”

“Oh, Adrien, don’t say that. I’m sure you’re also having a little bit of fun at the event. I know I would.” -Chloé giggled, as she imagined herself at the event, surrounded by all those beautiful clothes and accessories. One of her wildest dreams was to one day talk on a runway, while wearing a beautiful designer’s dress, spreading glamour and beauty with each step she took. If she was not the Mayor’s daughter, that would be an impossible dream. But being who she was, if the opportunity risen, all she had to do was ask her father, and he would make sure it would happen.

“I know you would, but I bet that even you would get tired of doing nothing but walking on a runway and doing various photoshoots all day, after a while.” -Adrien told her.

In way, she understood what he was saying. He was in that because of his father, to help him, the same way she also showed up next to her father whenever one of his personal assistants felt that he needed to promote his image and the values he defended.

“Don’t worry, it’ll be over soon, and you’ll be back with us in that boring classroom.” -she chuckled.

“Boring seems great right about now.”

Chloé was about to say something, when they both heard a knocking. There was someone knocking at the door.

“Adrien? Can I come in?” -a voice asked. It was Gabriel who was knocking at the door.  

“It’s my dad… hide!” -he whispered to Chloé.

“What?!” -she said.

“Hide! He can’t see you here.” -he answered in a hush. –“Sure dad, let me just open the door for you.”

With no time to lose, Plagg and Pollen got out of sight, hiding beneath the couch. As for Chloé, she looked around for a place to hide before Adrien’s dad entered in his room. There multiple choices, but all of them were too small for her to hide. Right then, she wished she had not turned back into her civilian form. As Queen Bee, she could shrink to the size of a quarter. Still, she only had maybe five seconds before he entered, so transforming into Queen Bee was out of the question. Looking around once more, she saw Adrien’s bed. Making a dash for it, she practically slid underneath it.    

Just before opening the door, Adrien looked behind his shoulder, to see if Chloé and the kwamis were out of sight. Not seeing them, he unlocked the door and open it.

“Sorry it took me so long to open it.” -he told his dad.

“Can I come in? I need to talk to you.” -Gabriel insisted.

“Sure.” -Adrien stepped out of the way to let his father in.

Hidden underneath Adrien’s bed, Chloé could only see Gabriel’s feet, but that was enough for her to start panicking. Still, she tried to remain calm, covering her mouth, so she would not slip a single syllable, while hiding. The two of them sat on the couch.

“Adrien… I… I just want to apologize for what happened tonight.” -Gabriel said.

“It’s okay.” -Adrien told him. He knew it was not his dad’s fault.

“No, it’s not okay. I let that woman get the best of my nerves, and you ended up watching a fight that wasn’t even supposed to happen… I blame myself for it.”

“Dad, it’s not your fault that woman is clearly obsessed and has an ego the size of France.”

“I know that, but even so, that doesn’t excuse the way I acted tonight… if your mother was still alive, she would probably have scowled me for sinking to her level.” -Gabriel declared in a low and sad voice. You could see that he missed his wife very much.

There was an awkward silence, following that last sentence, which lasted for a couple of seconds.    

“Anyways… I wanted to come here and apologize to you for what happened, and… to maybe, make it up to you.” -Gabriel declared.

“You mean it?” -Adrien asked.

“Yes… I noticed on the day that your friend came to deliver you, your homework that you’ve been alone by yourself most of the day during the whole event.” -Gabriel went on. –“And, well, given that Saturday is the last day of the event, I was wondering if you would like to invite your friends from school to hang out with you.” -he suggested.

Hearing those words, Adrien hugged his dad. It was not often he could do that, because Gabriel was not the kind of man to show emotions, at least, not when he was accompanied or in the presence of someone else. Still, when he had the chance, he would do it. Gabriel hugged him back, to demonstrate that he was there for his son, even though he was not always around, when he needed him.  

“Thanks, dad.”

“Is that a yes?” -Gabriel asked him, with a smile on his face, something that did not happen often.

“Yes, it is.”

“Very well, then. Tell Nathalie all the names of your friends, so she can make arrangements for them to attend the event on Saturday.” -he told him.

“I will. Thanks again, dad.”

“Well, it’s the least I could do.” -he said, as he got up. –“I’ll let myself out. Don’t stay up until late. Goodnight, Adrien.”

“Goodnight -Adrien said, as Gabriel left.

He waited a couple of seconds to make sure his dad was really gone, before he went to his bed and pulled out the covers, letting Chloé, who was underneath it, to come out.

“You can come out now… were our accommodations to your liking, Miss Bourgeois?” -he joked with her.

“Very funny, Adrien, very funny.” -Chloé answered him in a sarcastic tone, as their kwamis showed up and laughed at just how messy her hair looked, from being underneath Adrien’s bed. –“What? What’s so funny?!”

“You should look yourself in the mirror.” -Plagg laughed.

“What?” -Chloé asked puzzled.

“If I were you, I wouldn’t go out right now.” -Adrien chuckled, as he kept looking at just how messy her hair had gotten.  

“What are you… Oh my God! My hair!” -Chloé exclaimed, when looking at her own reflection on one of the windows. –“Pollen, grab my comb that’s in my purse, I can’t be seen looking like this!” -she exclaimed, as that kwami did as she was asked.


	9. Dreams versus Nightmares

On Friday morning at school, Chloé gave the whole class a message Adrien had sent them the night before. She told them that they were all invited to spend the day at the Paris Fashion Week. The boys were not exactly thrilled by that idea, but when it came to the girls, they all loved the idea, especially Marinette. Not only would she be able to attend the event once more; this time with the chance to attend the event and see everything with all the time in the world, but she would also have the opportunity to spend the whole day with Adrien.

“I can’t believe it, Alya. How lucky are we?”

“Well, I don’t know, but by the look on your face, girl, I would say that you’re considering yourself the luckiest girl in the world, right about now.”

“And I am, Alya, I am:” -Marinette smiled, as she got butterflies in her stomach, from thinking

“Does that mean, you’re finally going to tell him how you really feel about him?” -Alya teased her.

“W-What?! No!” -Marinette exclaimed, as she usually did when people talked about Adrien in front of her. –“I mean… no, I’m not going to tell him that, not yet. First, I’m going to ask him on a date, a proper date.”

“Are you?” -Alya raised her eyebrow.

“Yes, I’m going to.” -Marinette answered her with a voice that showed determination.

“Going to what?” -a voice asked from behind her. It was Nino, Alya’s boyfriend and Adrien’s best friend.

“Nothing…” -Marinette said, nervously.

“Mind your own business, silly turtle.” -Alya joked with her boyfriend, calling him by the nickname she had given him, when he became Jade Turtle.

“Oh, but everything that goes on in this class is my business, you, sly fox.” -Nino told her with a smile, making her smile also.  

But, Chloé was not the only one with news. Just like she had told Juleka the night before, Rose talked to her parents during breakfast about attending a ballet school, and the two of them were quite happy with that decision of hers. It would cost them a little, but that being Rose’s dream, they were willing to make a couple of sacrifices for her. When they told her that, she exploded with happiness. And that happiness just got even bigger, when she told the news to her friends at school and they all told her that they believed that she could do it, and that they would even help her with whatever she needed.

“If you need help with your routine, I can totally help you with that.” -Kim told her. Kim was known for being quite athletic, and for being a good dancer due to his two years in a gym, where he learned to dance hip-hop and funk.

“Oh, Kim, a ballet routine isn’t just about dancing… ballet is about telling a story through dance.” -Mylene said. –“And there are tons of beautiful stories to be told. I’ll be glad to help you with the routine too, Rose. Me and Kim, we can make it work.” -she said.

“How long do you have until the trials? Because if there’s still enough time to it, I’ll totally design a suit for you to wear… don’t worry, it will be something simple, but incredibly pretty.” -Marinette told her.

“And what about the music? Are you going to use classical music like Mozart or Verdi, or are you going to go with a remix of them, or perhaps something a little more contemporary?” -Nino asked her. Being the one who knew more about music in their group of friends, he made it his business to help her choose the right music for the occasion. –“Whatever it is you want to use in your routine, I can give you a hand with it.”

“And you’re going to need someone to do your make-up, so you’ll look stunningly pretty for the people who are going to judge your performance. So, I volunteer for the task.” -Chloé said.

“Chloé has all kinds of make-up imaginable at her place. You’ll look like a princess.” -Sabrina said. –“You can make her look like a princess, can’t you, Chloé?”

“Of course, I can, I’m Chloé Bourgeois, remember?” -Chloé said, imitating her old self. –“And I’ve got already a ton of ideas in my mind, so don’t you worry, okay Rose?.” -she told the blonde, who smiled at her.  

Words could not express just how happy she was to hear those words. She hoped that maybe one or two of her friends, not counting Juleka of course, would help her out, but to have the whole class saying that they would help her, including Chloé Bourgeois herself. If someone would tell her that one day even Chloé would be willing to help her out, without wanting something in return for her efforts, she would say that someone was clearly out of her mind. Smiling, she considered herself lucky in having all those wonderful friends that were as much excited about her attending a ballet school, as she was.     

“See? I told you they would help you, if you’d asked them.” -Juleka said, as she sat next to her.  

“Except that I didn’t even need to ask them.” -Rose told Juleka. –“But you were right. I’m so glad I told you what was going on, last night.”

“What are best friends for, huh?” -Juleka smiled at her. –“ _Still, I wish we were more than just friends._ ” -she thought to herself.

“ _Yes, best friends… though I wished we were more than that._ ” -Rose thought to herself, not even imagining Juleka was thinking the same thing.            

* * *

But while thigs were going hunky-dory for Rose, back in Versailles, things were going from bad to worse, as Amélie Dufayel’s rage and anger levels were reaching their limit. She had been working ever since she had come back from Agreste Manor, where she had dinner with Gabriel Agreste, to try and redesign the Rosenberg dress, a dress she had been working on for the past few months, just to prove she was better than him. Of course, when saying that she had been working, one would mean that she had spent all night and the first few hours of that morning to yell and scream at both her assistant Nina and her seamstresses, who according to her, could not understand what she was trying to accomplish.

“You imbeciles! I told you to cut that in a different pattern! And who told you to use that fabric?! Am I the only one who understands what it means to follow one’s orders?!”

Nina, who had not slept a wink and was now awaken for more than 24 hours, had been dictating notes and telling the seamstresses what their boss wanted them to do. Unfortunately, the tiredness in her body was starting to show its signs. She could hardly keep her eyes open now, and her mind was starting to play tricks on her. She could swear that a little dog had just passed in front of her… but that would be impossible, because her boss hated dogs, so having one just walking around there was pretty much impossible. The team of seamstresses that worked for Amélie Dufayel were also exhausted. The only difference between them and Nina was that they actually managed to get home and relax a little. Still, being called back to work late at night was what many would call, a blow to the stomach. It was hard to keep up with their boss’ demands, especially when she said one thing, and thirty seconds later, she would deny saying it, and telling them that they were the ones who were not paying attention.

“Nina! Nina! NINAAAAAAAAA!!!!” -Amélie called her secretary, who had fallen asleep.

“Y-Yes, miss Dufayel?” -she stuttered, seeing her boss right in front of her.

“Where is my coffee?! I asked you for a coffee five minutes ago, and I’m not seeing it on my desk or my hand! So, where is it?”

“I’m sorry, I’ll go get it, right away…”

“Hurry up! Make it extra strong, and pour a cup to yourself as well… I can’t believe that girl can be such a slacker!” -Amélie criticized Nina

As she went down to the kitchen to get the coffee, Nina tried her best to stay awaken. Entering the kitchen, she looked for the cook or one of the maids to ask them for a strong coffee, but then remembered that her boss had fired the whole staff the week before, and had not hired anyone to take their places. Cursing her bad luck, she looked around for the coffee, so she could make it. Once it was done, she poured it into two separate cups, one for her and another for her boss.

“ _Black, no cream, no sugar, no nothing… just like your soul, you witch._ ” -Nina thought to herself, as she restrained herself from spitting on her boss’ cup.

Knowing she was going to be yelled at for taking so long to get back at the workshop, Nina decided to sit and enjoy the coffee. As she sipped it, she took the time to appreciate just how good that cup of joe was. Her boss was the closest thing to witch there was, but she had good taste when it came to her coffee. Sipping it, she wondered how she had ended up there. When she attended college and design school, she never expected to end up as the assistant of heartless designer like Amélie Dufayel. Just like every other young creator, she wanted to revolutionize fashion with her ideas. Unfortunately, to do that, you first must build up a resume and a name, by working for other fashion designers and creators. On the day, she was hired to be Amelie Dufayel’s personal assistant, Nina felt like on top of the world. Her perfect average, as well as her time working for a small fashion magazine that meanwhile went out of business, had made her the perfect candidate for the job. Having the opportunity to work for one of the greatest designers of the last 10 years, was not only an honour, it was also her ticket to higher flights. She could show her designs to Miss Dufayel, and she could tell her if they were good enough or not, serving as a mentor of sorts to her. Unfortunately, when she met Amélie Dufayel, she immediately saw that idea as nothing more than a fantasy that would never come true. The woman had the largest ego she had ever seen; not only that, she was also rude, despicable, impolite and just plain old mean.

“If I didn’t need her to write me a recommendation letter, I would just tell her to fetch her own coffee… lousy witch!” -Nina thought to herself, when she felt something vibrating on her pocket. It was her cell phone warning her, she had received a text. It was from Amélie, saying “Where’s my bloody coffee?!”. –“Coming, stupid witch…” -she muttered between teeth, as she finished her coffee and grabbed the other cup for her undeserving boss. –“Back to the nightmare…”

* * *

When the clock struck 2 in the afternoon and the bell rang, announcing the end of that week of school, everyone in Miss Bustier’s class sighed in relief. Until 9 o’clock of the following Monday, they were free, free to do whatever they wanted to. But, with their mid-term exams coming up in a couple of weeks, Miss Bustier made sure to tell them to read their notes and to start studying, so the subjects would not pile up. But, like it happened so many times, her warnings fell on deaf ears, as everyone just wanted to get out of there and enjoy the next 48 hours of freedom, before going back to the same old routine.

Heading to Trocadéro, they were all going to help Alix and Kim with their project. Kim’s injuries had healed and he felt strong enough to pull out some crazy stunts that afternoon. Plus, having more people around, gave him and Alix the chance to try more complex tricks for the video. Even Chloé decided to go, after Sabrina convinced her to help them out, instead of going shopping that afternoon.

Unlike the last time they were there to shoot their video, this time there was the double of the people, mostly tourists, and that made it more difficult for them to shoot anything without catching someone that was not intended to show up on the video. Still, Nino told them that he could try and make some of them disappear using a computer program he had on his laptop, as long as there were not more than two or three at the time.

“Shall we begin?” -Nino asked them.

“I’m ready, when you two are.” -Kim said. He was anxious to start filming.

“Just remember not to fall on your back again. He wouldn’t want that to happen again, now would we?” -Alix warned him.

“What about us? What do you want us to do?” -Nathaniel asked Alix and Kim.

“You guys, just stay over there and act casually. When Alix passes by you, you turn your head to the right and keep looking at her, okay?” -Nino told them.

While Nino, Alix and Kim told Max, Ivan and Nathaniel what to do, the girls were all busy talking to one another. The conversation theme was once more Rose, who saw herself once more, the centre of attentions. While they talked, their kwamis, who on that afternoon were feeling a little mushy after eating their favourite snacks, were all taking a nap in a padded basket Sabrina had brought with her from home so Mika could take a nap, if he wanted to. Still, the basket was big enough for all of them, and one by one, they ended up falling asleep in it. Alya was initially a little afraid of letting the kwamis sleep like that, out in the open, but Sabrina convinced her that if someone passed by them and looked at the basket, they would confuse the kwamis with stuffed animals.

“Have you decided which music you’re going to use for the trials?” -Mylene asked her. –“You’ve got to choose one that matches the story you’re going to tell with your dancing.”

“Not yet… but I do know what story I’m going to choose.” -Rose smiled. –“It’s going to be Cinderella.”

“Oh, that’s such a pretty story.” -Sabrina said.

“And you know what? I think I’ve got an idea for the dress I’m going to design you… hold on.” -Marinette told her.

Taking out her sketchbook, she quickly drew a simple sketch of what she had in mind for Rose to wear on that occasion. Showing it to her, Rose was very pleased with what the blue-haired girl had drawn.

“It’s still very basic, but, if you give me a couple more minutes, I can show you a more detailed version of it.” -Marinette said.  

“Remember, it can’t be something that’s too complex, because she has to be able to move freely.” -Alya told Marinette.

“But it can’t be something that it’s plain simple, either. She has to look like a princess.” -Chloé protested. –“Maybe she could change clothes during the trial?

“I’m afraid I won’t be able to do that, Chloé.” –Rose told her. –“There won’t be time to change clothes; I read the rules.”

“Maybe you don’t have to…” -Marinette said.

“What do you mean?” -Rose asked her, puzzled.

“Give me a minute.” -Marinette said, as she started to draw again. The others looked at her in silence, as she sketched the idea she just had. Soon, she had finished and the idea that she had, looked even better on the paper than it did on her head. Her idea was to create a dress that had several pieces, and that during the trial, she could just take them off while dancing. –“See? The dress is composed by three different pieces. The first is a cape that it’ll reach your ankles. The second one is this bodice which will look like a raggedy-dress; it’ll be buttoned to the third piece, this beautiful white and silvery bodice, complete with a silvery pancake tutu. I’ll make it so you just have to yank it off in a quick move.”

“A dress within a dress, clever.” -Chloé said.

“It is a clever way to have more than one dress.” -Juleka said.

“And you think you’ve got enough time to do that, girl? I know you have the talent to do it, but what about time?” -Alya asked her. –“That’s a very complicated design and a very complex dress; Marinette.”

Alya was right, it was a very complex dress. She was used to design and sew things that were a little simpler than that, so if something went wrong, she might not have the time to come up with something else. Still, she could always ask her mother to help her out. And besides, Rose was her friend and she had promised her that she would help her the best way she could, and the best way for her to help her was to design and sew her a dress that made her look like a princess.

“I admit that it’s going to be a little hard, but I’m sure I can do it.” -Marinette told her. –“Don’t worry, Rose, when I’m finished with this, you’ll look just like a princess, I promise you.”

“I trust you will, Marinette.” -Rose smiled at her.

“Well, that’s one thing taken care of.” -Juleka said, as she hugged Rose from behind, making her giggle.

“Still, that’s just one piece of the puzzle.” -Alya told them. –“Rose, what’s next on the list.”

“Well, I suppose it’s the music.”

“And what kind of music do you want to use?” -Sabrina asked her.

“To tell you the truth, I really don’t know… I know I don’t want to use something classical, but, I don’t want use something that’s also too contemporary… a remix, perhaps?” -Rose answered. –“I don’t know… and what if I choose the wrong kind of music and that screws up everything?”

“Calm down, Rose, you don’t have to decide right now.” -Juleka told her.

“She’s right, you don’t.” -Alya told her. She and the others did not want to force her to do or choose anything she was unsure of. –“Look, Nino is great with music, so he’ll be able to advise you better than all of us combined on that matter. So, just take your time, and then talk to him.”

“Thanks, Alya.” -Rose thanked her. –“You’re right, I really have to think about it. Still, there’s already one thing I’m sure of what I’m going to do, and that’s the routine. I’m not going with a traditional routine. I thought about it, and I’m going to make use of some fighting moves that I use when I’m Flamingo, nothing too fancy, just those that can pass by dancing moves. I’m not going to start throwing punches and kicks into the air.”

“It’s not advisable, I can tell you that.” -Sabrina told her.

“But you would look so cool doing it, that it is true.” -Mylene giggled, as she imagined Rose doing what she had said to the beat of a song.  

“Hey girls! Are you doing something?” -Ivan called them out.

“Well, sort of… why?” -Alya asked him.

“Alix wants to try something, but we’re going to need a couple more people to do it.” -Ivan told them.

“Well, how many of us do you need for that?” -Mylene asked him.

“All of you?” -the big guy answered her.

“All of us?!” -Mylene asked. –“What is she attempting to do that needs all of us?”

“You’ll see.” -Ivan told them.

* * *

In the end, the trick that Alix was trying to perform only needed the assistance of two of the girls, but the rest ended up appearing in the video as well. With the filming finished for the day, they each went back home, with some exceptions like Mylene and Ivan who decided to go to the movies and Rose and Juleka, who went with Marinette, so she could take the blonde’s measurements for the dress she was going to make her. Already at home, Marinette asked her mom for a plate of cookies for her and the girls, though in fact, they were for Tikki, Flint and Tamara, who woke up from their nap famished. Grabbing her measuring tape, she started to take her measurements, and writing them on a piece of paper, so she would not forget them.

“You really think you can do this?” -Rose asked her. –“I know you said you could, but…”

“Well, I admit that I never did anything like this before, but look at it this way. If I can go up against a monster that destroyed part of this city before we stopped it, I think sewing something like this should be easy.” -Marinette joked. –“Hold your arm like that, please.” -she told Rose, as she kept measuring her.  

“You’ll see. Marinette will make you look like Cinderella itself.” -Juleka told her.

“Yes, I will... or at least, I will try.”

As Marinette kept measuring Rose, Juleka went to where the kwamis all were.

“So, how are the cookies?” -she asked them.

“Delicious.” -Tamara answered her.

“The cookies Marinette’s parents make are always the best.” –Tikki declared, as she took another bite to the one she was eating.

“Too bad there aren’t any raisin ones or with pieces of dried mango.” -Flint said.

“Well, why don’t you ask Rose to bake you some? She’s also a great cook.” -Juleka told the flamingo kwami, as she remembered the time the two of them staying at her place to study one afternoon, and without realizing it, when they finished studying it was already diner time, so Rose cooked up one of the best omelettes she had ever tasted in her life. She also told her that she loved to cook, saying that it helped her to relax. Juleka herself could cook some pasta and boil an egg, but other than that, she was a terrible cook.

“What are you saying about me?” -Rose asked her, after hearing her name.

“I was telling your kwami that you’re a great cook.” -Juleka answered her. –“ _You’re great at so many things, and that’s just one of them._ ” -she thought to herself.

“Oh, I’m not that good. I just know how to cook up a couple of things.” -Rose declared.

“Well, that’s more than I can do in the kitchen.” Juleka said.

“I already told you that I wouldn’t mind teaching you.” -Rose told her. –“ _As long as I get to have you near me, I wouldn’t mind doing whatever it was._ ” -she thought to herself.

“If you girls want to, we can have a cooking afternoon, right here in my place, one of these days.” -Marinette suggested them.

“Does that mean we would get to eat what you cooked after?” -Flint asked her.

“Do you only think with your stomach?!” -Tikki shot at him.

“Flint was never one to use much of his brain, anyway.” -Tamara said bluntly.

“Hey! I do use my brain!” -Flint exclaimed, clearly angry at both Tikki and Tamara.

“Now, guys, no arguing, okay?” -Marinette said, when someone knocked at the door, startling them all, and forcing the kwamis to pretend they were just stuffed dummies.

“Marinette, is everything alright?” -a voice asked. It was her mom, Sabine. –“Can I come in?”

“Sure, mom. Come in. We’re just finishing it.” -Marinette told her, as Sabine opened the door and entered. Like always, she was happy to see her daughter spending time with her friends.

“So, what’s it going to be this time?” -Sabine asked her daughter.

“What do you mean?”

“You know what I mean.” -Sabine chuckled. –“A prom dress? A sweater? Maybe a jump suit with frills?” -she joked about it. –“Come on, tell me, what are you going to do for your friend?”

“Oh…” -Marinette said, realizing what her mom was talking about. –“… Rose here is going to try to enter a ballet school, and I decided to sew her a dress for the try outs.” -she explained.

“It’s really kind of you, Marinette.” -Sabine told her daughter, as she looked at Marinette’s sketches that were on her desk and saw what she was going to do. –“Are you going to need a hand? This looks a little more complicated than what you usually do.”

“Probably.” –Marinette admitted, with a smile on her face.

“Well, let me know if you do. You know I’m always ready to help.” -Sabine chuckled. –“Oh, I almost forgot, is anyone of you girls staying for dinner? I’m making my uncle’s famous Celestial Soup tonight and I wanted to know.”

“Don’t you mean, Marinette Soup, mom?” -Marinette giggled.  

“Oh, you’re right…” -Sabine said. Rose and Juleka. Who were not understanding what they were talking about, stood there, both with a face that said, what are they talking about? Seeing the look of confusion on their faces, Marinette decided to explain it.

“My great-uncle Cheng renamed his famous recipe, Celestial Soup, after me when he was here last year, because I helped him improve it.” -she told them. –“Though, I have to admit that my attempt was more of an accident, but he didn’t mind, because it made the soup even more delicious.”

“Indeed, it did.” -Sabine said.

“You’re talking so much about that soup that I think I’m going to stay over, just to taste it.” -Rose said.

“What about you, Juleka?” -Marinette asked her.

“I guess I can stay for dinner too. Just have to call my parents and tell them to not wait for me.” -the goth smiled.    

“Then in that case, mom, you better add two plates, because we’re having guests tonight.” -Marinette smiled, happy for having her friends for dinner that night.


	10. Target Sighted

It was the last day of Paris Fashion Week, and the stakes were high. Throughout the week, designers had showed what they were capable of through their art. But it was time to get to the really juicy stuff. Though every designer and fashion house gets a say on what was in and out on a season, only four or five had the final word on what was going to be absolutely fashionable. On that day, the best of the best was going to show their latest collections and decide what was going to be trendy, and what was going to stay in the closet for the next six months. There was excitement in the air, mixed with smell of champagne and perfume, while the iconic song Love by Kazaky was on. Photographers were ready with their cameras, as fashion critics prepared themselves for what they were going to judge over the next few hours, and most importantly, in the backstage, models were getting ready to go on the runway. Everyone’s nerves were on the fritz… everyone, except for Marinette’s and her friends, who had been invited to attend the event, on behalf of Adrien’s dad.

When they arrived, Adrien took them to the VIP area that had been assigned for the guests of the Gabriel brand. Feeling the trailer, he had been spending those last few days in was too small for him and his friends, he took them there, where he knew they would be more comfortable and at ease. The only persons who were there besides them were a photographer his dad had invited from Russia, so he could photograph the models that were to appear on the runway that afternoon. The other was a fashion critic, who was also an old friend of Gabriel Agreste. The two were too busy with their own things to even notice the group of teenagers that entered there.

The girls were really excited to attend the event; or at least most of them. Alya and Alix, who were not into fashion. They had come because Adrien had invited them and they wanted to spend some time with him. The boys too were not very excited about the event itself. Not even Nathaniel with his artist soul was excited to be there. Though he liked fashion, he was no expert and liked to think that each person was entitled to create their own fashion. Still, there were two things that they liked about that event. First, it was being around Adrien and keeping him company, and the second was the catering. There was a lot to choose from in the buffet near them. Finger sandwiches, various hot and cold salads, foie gras, spring rolls, quiche Lorraine, macarons, croissants, among many other things. Plus, there were also a few of exotic dishes like sliced Norwegian salmon with boiled quail eggs, Beluga caviar, fried Indonesian calamari, melon with Italian prosciutto, a table of cheeses, among others. There were also glass jars filled with milk, orange, mango, papaya and pineapple juice and ice tea. Kim, who had a light lunch before coming to the event, wasted no time. Grabbing a plate, he took a little of everything, without forgetting the spring rolls for Imp, who told him to get some for him.

“Kim wastes no time.” -Alix sighed, as she waved her head.

“Don’t be so hard on him. Let him have his fun. I know that you aren’t exactly on cloud 9 here, Alix.” -Daria told her, as he placed his head out of her pocket to check on the action.

“I came because of Adrien, nothing else. You’ll never see me wearing a dress or something fashionable. I’m the kind of girl that likes these things. To me, clothes need to be practical, not fashionable.”

“You say that now, but believe me, you’ll change… I’ve had a couple of holders that also thought like you do, and later in life, did things they had told themselves would never do.” -Daria told her.

“Believe me, I’m like this ever since I was 3. I haven’t worn a dress since that age, and that’s not going to change.” -Alix told him, as Kim approached with his plate filled with pretty much everything he could place on it. –“You sure you didn’t forget to put anything in that plate?” -she asked him in a sarcastic tone.

“Hey, I’m just trying to have a good time.” -Kim told her, as he literally gulped down a finger sandwich in one bite.

“Cut him some slack, will you? He’s a growing boy.” -Imp told her.

“You’re just saying that, because he’s giving you spring rolls.” -Alix shot at the antelope kwami, who did not have a snappy comeback.  

While those two argued among themselves, the rest of the gang had taken seats in the couches that had been placed there, and were happily talking among themselves, or with Adrien.

“Where’s your dad?” -Juleka asked him.

“Next to the models that are going to go on the runway in a couple of minutes from now.” -Adrien answered. –“He wants this show to be perfect, especially because today he got a call that made his day.”

“How so?” -Alya asked him.

“Well, it was said that it would be his rival, Amélie Dufayel, that would have the honour to close the event with her collection. But, it turns out that it will be my father to have that honour.” –Adrien told her.

“That’s great!” -Marinette exclaimed. She knew that opening or closing an event was one of the highest honours any fashion designer could have, especially an event as important as that one. –“I bet that Amélie Dufayel was pretty upset with that.”

“I don’t think she even knows that she lost that spot. According to what I heard my dad talking about an hour ago with one of the representatives of the event, they hadn’t been able to find her or contact her to give her the news.” -Adrien said. –“But I can tell you this. That woman is going to flip her lid once she finds out… no, no, I take that back. She’s not going to flip her lid. She’s going to have a heart attack, after having a rage attack.”

“The way you describe her, you make her sound like she’s a ravenous monster or something.” -Nino told him.

“Oh, she isn’t one, but she yells and screams like one.” -Plagg, who was inside one of Adrien’s pockets, said. –“I was in Adrien’s room, and I could hear her yell from the dining room.”

“I can only imagine how that woman is.” -Wayzz said.

“Indeed… but you know what? I didn’t ask my dad to invite you here, so we could talk about that woman all day. Do you guys want to something cool?”

“Can I finish eating first?” -Kim asked Adrien, with his mouth full, as he and Alix joined them.

“Kim, manners!” -Chloé shot at him, as Alix rolled her eyes.

“Sorry…” -Kim told her, as he gulped what he had in his mouth.

“Never mind him. What do you want to show us?” –Chloé asked him, curious.  

“Well, it’s kind of top secret… my dad doesn’t even want anyone around it, afraid that they might spoil the surprise.” -Adrien said.

“Then, it must be something really big.” -Alya said.

“Come on, I’ll show you… and Kim, leave the plate behind.” -Adrien joked with Kim, as he stuffed his mouth with another spring roll, making everyone laugh of him.

On the backstage, things were starting to get confusing and conflicting with the amount of people walking around, getting ready for the last round, and everything had to be perfect.

“Where’s your bodyguard?” -Nino asked the blond.

“It’s his day-off, and I’m glad it is. I can’t go anywhere with him serving as my shadow.” -Adrien chuckled, while he imagined his bodyguard as a shadow, glued to him all the time.

Passing by a couple of rooms where the models were all getting ready, he spotted his father on the last one. He was talking to Nathalie, who was scribbling something in her notepad, while waving yes or no with her head. Whatever they were talking about, it must have been important because Nathalie was not smiling, and that only happened when the subject was incredibly serious. Still, he had no time to stay and find out what it was all about. If his dad found out that he was going to show his top-secret project to his friends, without his permission, he would be grounded until the end of the year. Finally, they reached their destination. It was a door just like the others in that corridor. Whoever passed by it, would never suspect that what was inside was incredibly secret and important to Gabriel Agreste. Opening the door, Adrien revealed what was inside. To their surprise, what was inside were a handful of mannequins dressed in clothes; all of them were beautiful and stylish. One with a trained eye would have identified Gabriel Agreste’s style a mile away… the man had a distinguishable, if not unique style to his art. The majesty of how he matched the colours with the urban and youthful style of the clothes was amazing. Even those who did not appreciate fashion, would have to admit that the damn clothes were super pretty.   

“Wow, these are beautiful.” -Sabrina said.

“But wait a minute, this is denim… are these…” -Marinette said, as she got close to one of the mannequins and touched the fabric.

“His autumn/winter collection? Yup, that’s his big surprise for today.” -Adrien said,

“But why?” -Alya asked him. She knew it was not custom for designers to present collections ahead of time.

“I don’t know. I think he just wanted to cause a sensation, by presenting his collection ahead of schedule.” -Adrien shrugged his shoulders.

“Well, whatever his reason is, these are beautiful.” -Marinette declared. –“I wish I had thought of these during one of my free afternoons.” -she said, as she kept admiring them.

“They really beautiful.” -Tikki said, as she flew around, looking at all the clothes. –“I wouldn’t mind wearing a scarf like this one, if they made it in kwami size. -she chuckled, as she wrapped her tiny little hand around an orange and blue scarf that was on one of the mannequins.   

“Fashionable, yet practical.” -Alix said. –“ _I don’t believe I’m actually thinking this, but I wouldn’t mind wearing one of these…_ ” -she thought to herself, as she imagined herself wearing one of the hoodies. _–“… wait! I can’t say that out loud, or I’ll have to admit that Daria was right._ ”

“What did you say, Alix?” -Daria asked her.

“I-I said that they’re fashionable yet practical, but they’re definitely not my style.” -Alix quickly came up with an answer for her kwami.

“I, on the other hand love this one dress.” -Mylene said, as she admired the black and white denim dress with frills –“I can’t believe that your dad designed this for people who are a little chubbier, like me.” -she told Adrien.

“I was also surprised when I saw these being taken here this morning. I think that anyone of us would find something here that would fit us.” -Adrien said.

“I think you’d look really lovely in that dress, Mylene.” -Pin told her.

“Thanks. I think I would too.” -she thanked her kwami.

“Wouldn’t it be great if we all had the chance to go on the runway wearing some of these clothes?” -Chloé asked her friends.

“I would really love it… but, I don’t know. I’m a little bit shy about going up on a stage in front of everyone.” -Sabrina said.

“Oh, Sabrina, you don’t have to be shy about it.” -Chloé told her. –“You just need to pretend you’re in your Louve Grise costume.”

“She’s right. You’re not afraid of anything or anyone when you transform, kiddo.” -Mika told her, agreeing with the blonde.

“When you put it that way…” -Sabrina smiled.

“Still, the odds of anyone of us ever getting the chance to put on these clothes and walk on a runway are these: slim and none, and slim might have already left town by now.” -Max joked about it.

“Probabilities and mathematical chancer ae your forte, after all.” -Ari joked.

“Well, dreaming it’s still free, so I guess we can dream about it, at least.” -Marinette said. After seeing those clothes, she really wanted to try at least one of the pieces… a jacket, a skirt or even a dress, she was not picky. All of them would look great on her, or her friends.

“I can tell you this… your father’s going to make headlines this evening.” -Alya told him.

“And the best part is that we have front seats to watch it, girl.” -Trixx told her.

“You mean, we have them, not you guys.” -Alya told her.

“Oh, come on, we’re like your shadows. You guys aren’t going to leave us somewhere, while you enjoy yourselves, are you?” -Flint asked her.

“She’s just kidding, Flint. Of course, you can see it with us.” -Rose told him, calming the flamingo kwami down.

“Well, one of you will have to take me to the show, because Adrien here is going to be part of it.” -Plagg declared.

“You are?” -Ivan asked him. –“You didn’t tell us that, man.”

“I actually forgot about it, to tell you the truth.” -Adrien admitted.

“What will you be wearing, Adrikins?” -Chloé asked him, calling by the nickname she had given him, which made Marinette jealous for a moment. Although Chloé and her were now on good terms, she still did not like when the blonde called Adrien like that. It reminded her of the times she flirted with him.

“I’ll be wearing one of the outfits from the summer collection. My dad created it while thinking of me, so, I’ll be the one walking on the runway with it.” -Adrien admitted.  

“In that case, Plagg can stay in my purse. Tikki won’t mind and won’t either, right Tikki?” -Marinette asked her kwami.

“Of course, not. Just as long as he doesn’t start eating cheese around me.” –Tikki answered.

“For you, milady, I won’t touch a single piece of cheese today.” -Plagg joked about it

“Anyways, we better get back. I don’t want to get caught here by my dad.” -Adrien told the others.  

* * *

At the same time, Reptile was walking around, looking for someone who’s heart was the right one to be akumatized. Usually, when not finding what one’s looking for in a place, the sensible thing to do is to look for it on another place. But not Reptile, he believed that sooner or later, he would find just what he was looking for right there. All he needed to do was to be patient… Still, he knew that his time was running low. He had been warned by Hawk Moth that if he did not find one suitable target for his Akuma butterflies, that he would be severely punished.

Taking on all kinds of disguises, he went everywhere, looking for the one target he deemed perfect. Over the days he scouted that event, he had found numerous possible targets to be akumatized. But, none of them had the exact feeling needed to fuel an Akuma butterfly. As passed by a group of photographers who were photographing one of the event’s guests, the words that Madame Romani spoken to him on the previous night, echoed in his head.

“ _Tick tock… tick tock… you’re running late. I sincerely hope you succeed, for our master’s sake. But if you fail, I’ll be glad to show you just how to do the work you’re supposed to do, lizard man._ ”

Remembering those words made him wonder why he did not slide her open on the spot, after she said that? Probably because that would upset Hawk Moth. Still, his relationship with Madame Romani was becoming bitter and bitter by the minute. The woman made his blood boil as if that one was molten lava. But, he was determined to have the last laugh, by succeeding in that mission he was given. Focusing his senses, he kept looking for someone whose heart he deemed perfect for the job. He was so focused that he accidently went against a security officer.

“Hey, you!”

“Who, me?” -Reptile asked.

“Yeah, you, where’s your pass?”

“My pass? It’s right…” -Reptile said, when he remembered that he was disguised as catering waiter, and had forgotten to change into someone who had access to that part of the event. –“ _Crud, I got so carried way, I forgot to change my appearance…_ ” -he thought to himself.

“Well, where’s your pass?”

“Screw the pass!” -he pushed the security guard, making him lose his balance and fall on his back.

“Hey, get back here!” -the security guard yelled, as he got up on his feet and started to chase him.

“ _Smooth, really smooth… if Romani was here, she would be calling you an imbecile for forgetting to do the one thing you’re good at!_ ” -Reptile thought to himself, as he kept running, pushing everyone that stood in its way to the side.

He needed to find a place where he could change his appearance to get rid of that security guard. As he turned the corner, he used his powers to change into someone else. This time, he changed his appearance to that of a reporter with a pass that granted him access to the area he was in. About two seconds later, the security guard passed by him, and he could not help but to smile. It had been too easy for him to get him off his back. As he began to walk way, he was startled, when the security guard called him.

“Hey buddy! Did you see a guy in a red coat and black pants pass by you?”

“Huh, yes. He went that way.” -Reptile quickly pointed to his left.

“Thanks.”

“ _Sucker…_ ” -he sighed in relief. For a moment there, he thought that the guy had a sixth sense that told him that Reptile could change his appearance. –“ _And now, back to work. Master Hawk Moth is counting on me._ ” -he thought to himself.

* * *

Amélie Dufayel was having a day to forget. The stress she had been under those last few days had put her in a bundle of nerves. These nerves made her fall asleep on that day, and because she did not have anyone at home to wake her up, she saw herself late. To make matters worse, when she called her driver, she found out that he had caught the flu and was too sick to come to work. Calling a taxi, she told the cab driver to go as fast as he could, stating that she would double the ride if he could get her to the event in 30 minutes. Putting the pedal to the metal, the driver let greed get the best of him and ended up crossing a red light and hitting another car. Neither him nor Amelie got injured, but the car was not going anywhere. Frustrated with her bad luck, she had no other option than taking the underground to the event.

“ _How humiliating! Having to go to one of the most important fashion events in the world by underground._ _Can this day get any worse?! I mean, what did I do to God to have such bad luck on this day?!_ ” -she asked herself, as she sat next to an old man in the train carriage. –“ _Still, it doesn’t matter… once I get there and show my latest collection, as well as the Rosenberg dress, everyone will be talking about it for weeks to come, and that Agreste will have to settle for being second best!_ ” -she thought to herself.

Unfortunately, she was in for the shock of her life and did not know it, or even dreamed of it. When she finally arrived at the event, she had forgotten her VIP pass at home and security forbid her from getting in.

“Do you know who I am?!”

“Miss, with all due respect, it doesn’t matter if I know who you are or not. I have orders not to let anyone without a pass, and if you don’t have yours, I’m afraid I can’t let you in.” -the security guard told her.

“That is absurd!!!” -she practically screamed on top of her lungs, before reaching for her purse and taking out her cell phone, to call her assistant, Nina. –“Come on, you idiotic girl, pick up!”

Inside, Nina was wondering where her boss was. With all that happened during her absence, she had to be the one in charge of just about everything. Though she wanted her to show up and tell everyone what they were supposed to do. But, at the same time, she did not want her to show up, because then, she would find out that she would not be the one closing the event, but Gabriel Agreste instead, and Nina knew that she was not going to like it. In fact, she was going to explode with anger.

“Is everything ready there? What about the dresses with floral pattern? Make sure that they are ready for the models to put them on.” -Nina continued to delegate tasks to the several people in charge.

Having a couple of seconds for herself, she took out from her knapsack a couple of sketches she had done herself. Her idea had been to show them to her boss on that day, taking advantage of her good mood and ask her to evaluate them. Unfortunately, she now knew that that was not going to happen. Still, she could not help but to look at them, just to give her the courage to go on with the work she was going there, when her cell rang. Placing her sketches on the table in front of her, she grabbed her cell, seeing her boss’ name on its screen. Swallowing dry, she answered the call. 

“Y-Yes?”

“I left my pass at home. Move those legs of yours and bring me another pass, so this troglodyte here lets me through! Hurry!” -Amélie told Nina, hanging up on her face.

“ _Lousy witch! Who told her to leave her pass at home?!_ ” -she thought to herself.

Looking for another pass, she found it and then, ran as quickly as she could to the entrance of the event. She had not reached yet the entrance, when she started hearing the yells from her boss. She was calling every name in the book to the poor security guard that did not let her in. Joining him, was his supervisor, who was also losing his patience with Miss Dufayel.

“You listen to me, you brute! I don’t care if I need a pass to get in there! I’m Amélie Dufayel, world-renowned fashion designer, and I demand you let me pass!”

“Miss, with all due respect, unless you can provide us a pass, the rules forbid us to let you in, no matter who you are.” -the supervisor told her.

“You let me through right this instant, or I swear that tomorrow morning you’ll be out of a job!” –Amélie threatened them both.

Just when he was about to repeat the same thing to her, when Nina showed up, bearing a pass in her hand.

“Finally!!! What took you so long, you incompetent?!” -she said, as she practically ripped the pass out of Nina’s hands and showed it to the security guards. –“There! Happy, now?”

After showing the pass, they finally let her in. She wasted no time asking Nina if everything was ready.

“Everything better be in its rightful place… is the Rosenberg ready and has the model arrived? She had better be here already, because I don’t want to hear any excuses from her.” -Amélie told Nina.

“She has arrived and the seamstresses are making the final adjustments to it. You don’t have to worry about that, Miss Dufayel.” -Nina told her, as they made their way to the backstage. –“And, there is one more thing I have to tell you…”

“Give me a moment to get my head on the game, alright?!” -Amélie told her assistant, as she made a couple of moves with her arms and hands, and hummed to herself. –“Today may have started with the wrong foot, but it will end on the right one.” -she said. –“Tonight, I crush Gabriel Agreste’s reputation with my creations.”

“That’s what I wanted to talk about with you.” -Nina said, a little unease. She really did not know how she was going to tell her that she was not going to close the event anymore.

“Then, talk! What’s the matter?!” -Amélie demanded.

“Well, you see… because of a few reasons, regarding the time that it will take, your show won’t close the event anymore.” -Nina told her, waiting for her to start screaming.

“WHAAAAAAAAAT?!!!!!!!! WHAT DID YOU JUST SAY?!!!!” -Amélie yelled on top of her lungs.

“We aren’t going to…”

“HOW DARE THEY DO THAT TO ME?!!!! WHY DIDN’T THEY CALL ME TO INFORM OF THIS?! WHY DIDN’T YOU CALL ME THE MOMEMT YOU FOUND OUT ABOUT IT, YOU STUPID GIRL?!!! -Amélie berated at Nina. She was yelling so loud that every single model that was either on their dressing room or having their make-up done, stepped out to see what was going on.

“I-I tried to call you, as w-well as them, but you wouldn’t pick up the phone.” -Nina said, already shaking like green sticks.

Taking out her phone, she noticed that she had numerous unanswered calls. The reason why that happened was because she had put it on silent mode. Still angry at the news, she tried to calm herself down, but the more she tried, the more nervous she became.

“Who? Who’s going to close the event?”

“It’s… G-Gabriel Agreste, Miss Dufayel.”

“WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT?!!!! HOW DARE THEY GAVE THAT SWINE SUCH AN HONOUR?!!!! HOW DARE THEY?!!!!!”         

Just as she had imagined it, Amélie Dupain became furious when she heard the news and her reaction was way worse than anything she could have pictured in her head. Her eyeballs looked like they could pop out of their sockets at any given moment. Nina tried to calm her down, by going to get her some tea, but not even all the tea in the world would have made a difference. Her hatred for Gabriel Agreste was so great that if he was standing in front of her, she would shred him

“Miss Dufayel, please… try to calm yourself down.” -Nina begged her. She had never seen her boss this angry before, and she thought she had seen her absolutely pissed before. –“Here… t-this tea will…”

“I DON’T WANT ANY TEA, YOU STUPID GIRL! WHAT I WANT IS THE HEAD OF THAT SWINE, IN A SILVER PLATE!!!!!” -she exploded once more throwing away the tea cup, which landed on the nearby table, where she had left her fashion sketches. The cup shattered, and the tea took less than a second to soak the sketches, destroying them.     

“My fashion sketches!” -Nina exclaimed. 

“WHO CARES ABOUT SOME STUPID SKETCHES?! COMING FROM YOU, THEY’RE NOT EVEN WORTH THE PAPER YOU USED TO DRAW THEM!” -Amélie snapped at her.

“YOU BLASTED WITCH!” -Nina finally snapped. She could no longer keep her anger to herself. Just like a pressure cooker, she had built up a tremendous pressure inside of her, and now it was time to release it. –“YOU KNOW WHAT?! I’M SICK AND TIRED OF YOU ALWAYS TELLING ME AND OTHERS THAT WE’RE USELESS, WHILE YOU SEE YOURSELF AS PERFECT! WELL GUESS WHAT, YOU’RE NOT! YOU’RE A MISERABLE HAG WHO’S NOT AS TALENTED AS YOU THINK YOU ARE!”

Hearing her say those words, was the last drop for Amélie Dufayel.

“GET OUT! OUT, IMMEDIATELY!!! YOU’RE FIRED!” -she yelled at Nina.

“Why, because I told you the truth, you witch?!” -Nina snapped at her. –“Mark my words, you witch, one of these days someone will give you just what you deserve, you hear me!” -she once more snapped at her former boss, before grabbing some of the still wet sketches of hers that had not been completely ruined by the tea, and walking away, furious but at the same time, relieved.

“You hear me now! You’ll never work in the fashion business ever again, Nina! I’ll make sure of that!!!” -she yelled at her former secretary, as she left. She then noticed that she was being watched by everyone else, who had witnessed what happened. –“What are you looking at?! I don’t pay you to stand there doing nothing! Get back to work, and you, find me one of the people in charge with the event! I want to speak to it about this, right now!” -she ordered one of the assistants that happened to be passing by.   

As Nina made her way out of the backstage, tears ran down her face. But these were not tears of sadness, they were tears of hate and frustration. Tears that were now running down her face, because yelling at her former boss had not been enough. She had destroyed something incredibly precious to her, something she had worked so hard on, and now, it was gone. Her wish was to just go back there and slap the woman so hard on the face that she would be spitting teeth and blood for hours to come. As she walked, she regretted not having slapped her senseless, and that dark wish was settling in her heart. And that, attracted one particular fiend to it, Reptile. Seeing her passing by him, he sensed the hate and anger in her heart. He would say it that they were stronger than any others he had sensed in that place, but the truth was that they had something special to it, he could not explain, but that differentiated them from all others.

“ _That’s it! It’s her! She is perfect… Miraculous Team, your minutes are counted._ ” -Reptile thought to himself, wondering what kind of akuma his master would turn her into.


	11. Haute Couture Attacks!

Reptile had found the perfect target. That girl’s heart was filled rage, anger and bitterness. A winning combination that his master, the insidious Hawk Moth was looking for. He was sure that she would become a fine akuma.

“ _I must inform the master at once._ ” -he told himself. Concentrating, he tried to communicate with Hawk Moth through the telepathic link that existed between the vile villain and his lieutenants. Seconds later, he managed to get a hold of him. –“Master, I found it!

Hawk Moth, who was meditating in deep silence, quickly picked up his lieutenant’s thought transmission.

“You did? Excellent work. And who might our victim be?” -Hawk Moth asked, as he used his powers to see through the eyes of Reptile. –“Ah, what a lovely girl, and I can sense a huge amount of hate and rage in her heart, with a few sprinkles of disrespect… what a lovely mix. Don’t let her out of your sight. I will send you a present for her, in just a minute.” -he ordered Reptile, as he broke the psychic link.  

Getting up from his armchair, he took the moment to inhale the almost intoxicating smell of incense that he had been burning, in the air, before heading to where his Akuma Butterflies rested. Approaching the glass dome, he touched the icy-cold glass and smiled, as he looked at his precious creations. Using his powers, his right hand began to glow, enabling him to pass through the glass and gently grab one of the butterflies. Holding it in his hand, he then created an energy sphere around it.

“My beautiful creation, it is time for you to do what you were created for.” -Hawk Moth said, as he gently touched the sphere with his fingertips. Concentrating, he made it disappear, just to reappear in front of Reptile. –“You know what you must do.” -he said telepathically to Reptile.

“Yes, master.” -Reptile acknowledge, breaking the psychic link.    

Closing in on her, Reptile changed his appearance once more to keep a low profile. Taking on the appearance of an old gardener, he followed Nina as she walked across the Champ de Mars. Finally, she stopped, and he hid himself behind a tree, waiting to see what her next move was going to be, as the wind started to rise, blowing hard from the west.   

Nina took a seat on one of the garden benches. The hatred she was feeling for her former boss was quite big, and though a part of her was telling her the woman did not even deserved her vengeful thoughts, the other part was telling her that Amélie deserved to be taught a lesson, and that she should be the one to teach it to her. And the more she looked at what was left of her sketches, the more she was inclined to agree with the part that wanted to teach her a lesson. 

“What a witch… if I could, I’d make her pay for what she did to me, and pretty much everyone else she bullied.” -Nina said out loud.

“Time for you to do your job…” -Reptile said, as he released the Akuma butterfly from its bubble and let it fly.

The dastardly black insect flapped its wings and flew towards Nina, who was too distracted to see it approaching. And even if she had been focused, she would have never heard it approaching from behind. Landing on Nina’s back, a sudden wave of energy coursed through her body, making her eyes glow purple. She was now under Hawk Moth’s control.  

“Good afternoon, my dear. I’m Hawk Moth and I have a proposition for you.” -Hawk Moth talked to her through telepathy. –“If you do me a favour, I’ll give you the power to exact revenge on those who have made you cry. Would you be interested?”

“Yes, Hawk Moth.” -she answered.

“Very well, then. What I want you to do is to cause chaos and mayhem to attract those infernal members of the Miraculous Team. Your mission is to capture them, and then destroy them as well as those infernal miraculouses.”

“I will do as you command, Hawk Moth.”

“Then… rise, Haute Couture! Go and exact your revenge!!!”

With those words, Nina’s body was fully enveloped by a cloud of black purplish smoke. When this dissipated, Nina had changed. She now had icy-blue spiky hair, light-grey skin, and was wearing a red suit covering her arms, legs and neck, along with an icy-blue long-coat with a high collar with spiky ends. She also wore white long boots with red high heels.

“So, that witch, she thinks that coming from me, no design is good enough?! Then, we’ll see about that! Everyone will wear my clothes and love them… and then, when I find her, I’ll make her pay for what she did to me!” -Haute Couture said, as she saw a pair of old folks near her. They were both wearing what she considered dreadful clothes. Out of style, bland colours… and that would just not do. –“You! Those clothes will just not do! You need a proper makeover!”

Using her powers, she shot a blue beam from her index finger that hit both elders enveloping them in a blue aura. A few seconds later, the aura disappeared, revealing that they were now wearing clothes like the ones she was wearing. They looked fancy, but they restrained their movements, making it impossible for them to take a step without falling on their faces.

When she was turned into Haute-Couture, her fashion sense was heightened to the point that whatever clothes she would produce with her powers, they would all look hideous. But not to her eyes. To her eyes, they were perfect and she was going to make sure everyone would know that, and would wear them.  

“Yes, perfection!” -Haute Couture said, as she noticed a group of people approaching her. –“You! You also need a proper makeover. Those clothes won’t do!”

Everyone that appeared in her field of vision was instantly hit with her “fashion beam” and their clothes would change into ghastly and garish versions of the same. Even dogs and cats that happened to be passing by would also get their collars turned into the most ridiculous outfits one could imagine. As she did this, she would continue to laugh like a maniac.

“Well, I guess that’s enough beautifying for now… After all, I must not keep a certain someone waiting.” -she said, referring to her former boss.

A girl who managed to avoid her, had taken refuge behind one of the trees and was now calling the police. It did not take her long to put two and two together and figure out that what was going on had something to do with the mysterious terrorist Hawk Moth.

“Please, pick up….” -she said.

“112, what is your emergency?” 

“I think there is someone or something related to that Hawk Moth terrorist here I the Champ de Mars.” -the girl said.

“Can you describe it?”

“It’s a woman that… I know this will sound crazy, but she’s shooting beams out of her fingers and it’s changing everyone’s clothes!”

“Remain calm. We’ll send in a police car to see what’s going on.”

“One car?! Send in the whole army! This woman is dangerous!” -the girl exclaimed, thinking about what happened when Hawk Moth released Gargantua in the city.

At the same time, a brother and a sister, who upon seeing Haute Couture and what she was doing, decided to hide behind a jeep that was parked there, so as to escape her sight. Though the girl was frightened, her brother was not and was determined to be the first one to photograph her and post it online.    

“What are you doing?”

“Photographing her and posting it on Facebook. And I’m also sending it to the Miraculous Blog.” -he told his sister

“Are you kidding me?! That maniac is doing, God knows what, and you’re photographing her, so you can post it online?!”

“She’s just turning people’s clothes into uglier versions of the same. I don’t think that’s the most dangerous thing in the world…”

But little did he know that the worst was still to come, and all those whose clothes had been changed by Haute Couture’s fashion beam, were going to play an important part in it. She was making her way to where the Paris Fashion Week event was taking place, when a police car showed up and stopped in front of her, blocking her path. Exiting the car, the two police officers tried to understand if that earlier call had been just a prank or if it was real. Ever since Gargantua had appeared, the emergency lines had been receiving tons of fake phone calls and prank calls. Still, after seeing what she had done to some of the people that were now trying to either trying to get up from the ground or move in some of the weirdest looking clothes they had ever seen.

“Okay, lady, stop right there!” -said one of the policemen.

“Oh, the police… I must say that I’m impressed that you are already here.” -haute Couture smirked. –“And good thing too, because those outfits just won’t do. They’re so out of fashion!”

Saying that, she used her powers once more and changed both policemen’s uniforms into garish versions of themselves, making them fall on their faces.

“S-Stop.” -one of the policemen ordered her, as he tried to get up.

“Sorry, but fashion waits for no one!” -Haute Couture laughed manically, as she left them.

When they both finally managed to get back on their feet, they tried to take off those clothes, but they would not come out. It was if they were glued to them by magic or something. Knowing what they had in hands was too much just for the two of them, they decided to call for back-up.

“Dispatch, we have a code 57 in Champ de Mars, I repeat, we have a code 57 in Champ de Mars. The suspect is heading towards the Paris Fashion Week site. Send everything you got. We’re going to try and capture the suspect.”

* * *

Inside, the event was going on without any disturbances. The Dolce & Gabbana show was about to start and Marinette, along with Chloé Alya and Sabrina, was seated in front of the runway. She was stunned by the sheer beauty of every dress. Seeing them, just made her even more eager for the day when she would start to work on the fashion business herself.

“So beautiful…” -Marinette told herself, as she admired the clothes.

It seemed like that was going to be the perfect Saturday, and then, Alya got an email alert on her cell phone. Checking it, she saw it was something that had been sent for her blog. She would usually just ignore it and see what it was later. But on that moment, something told her to open it, right there. And to her surprise, she saw that someone had seen one of Hawk Moth’s akumas, near where they were.

“Girls, we got trouble.” -Alya whispered to Marinette and the others.

“Trouble?” -Marinette asked her.

“What kind of trouble?” –Chloé asked, overhearing the two of them.

“The Miraculous kind.” -Alya declared.

“You mean?” -Marinette said.

“Yeah…” -Alya waved her head. –“This was just sent into my blog.” -she showed them the photo that depicted Haute Couture.

“Are you sure this isn’t some prank?” -Chloé asked her. –“Because I’m really enjoying myself, right now.”

Before Alya could answer her, a loud scream was heard, followed by a group of people running like maniacs, to which more joined in.

“I don’t think it’s a prank, Chloé.” -Sabrina told her.

“We’ve got to go and find the others.” -Marinette told them.

“Way ahead of you.” -Chloé said, as she grabbed Sabrina by the wrist and started looking for a way back to the backstage area, while dragging the redhead with her.

“Wait for us!” -Alya exclaimed, as she and Marinette tried their best to move through that panicking crowd.  

As the four heroines tried their best to meet up with the rest of their team, Haute Couture was having a blast, changing everyone’s clothes, while looking for the one who she felt was the cause of all her troubles… her old boss, Amélie Dufayel.

“No, that will not do!” -she used her powers to change the clothes of an entire group of people that was in front of her. –“There, much better.” -she cackled evilly. –“But that’s enough for now. I’ve got a score to settle with a certain someone.”

She knew where Amélie was, and she knew just what she would be doing. She would be cursing everyone for her bad luck… everyone, except herself. Heading to the part of the backstage where she would be, Haute Couture saw her path blocked by yet another group of security guards. She had taken care of a few of them, who were determined to not let her through, when she entered the event.

“You just don’t take a hint, do you?” -she asked the security guards, who were pointing their taser guns at her. -Then again, with outfits like those, you can’t be very smart, now can you?”

“Stay where you are!” -one of the security guards ordered her.

“I don’t take orders from insignificant fools like you!” -she yelled at them, as she displayed yet another power. The fabrics that composed the security guards’ clothes began to change, and soon, the uniforms were turned into straitjackets. –“And now… begone!!!!”

Taking control of their clothes, she held them in the air, and then tossed them to the side as if they were ragdolls.

“And now, for you, Amélie.” -Haute Couture said, as she made her way to the backstage area.    

* * *

Amélie Dufayel was so caught up in her thoughts, that she did not hear the whole commotion outside. She still could not believe that Gabriel Agreste had beaten her once more. With so much hate inside her, she tried to concentrate on her work. She had told her other assistants, as well as the seamstresses to leave her alone with the Rosenberg dress, so she could see for herself if the dress needed something extra to it. The Rosenberg had been conceived as a dinner dress, but after she redesigned it, it looked more like a wedding dress, than anything else. She needed to concentrate on something, so as to not go mad with rage. The producers responsible for the event had told her that they decided that the Gabriel brand was more in vogue that year, and so, it should be Gabriel Agreste to close the event, and not hers, adding that even if they wanted to change things at the last minute, it would be impossible at that point. If they had been in the same room as her, she would have mostly likely snapped their necks.  

“So, they think that they can just switch things, without having me in consideration, is it?” -she thought to herself. –“Well, then I’ll show them that my show is better than that pompous swine! Once they see the Rosenberg on the runway receiving all the applauses, they will understand the big mistake they made!”

As she was about to take a new line cart, she began to hear noises and screams outside. Still, she decided to ignore them, and go back to work, when someone knocked at the door.  

“I don’t want to be disturbed.” -she said, only to hear knocking at the door once more, this time with a lot more strength. -“I said, I don’t want to be disturbed!“

Saying that, someone knocked at the door once more, and this time it felt more like

“ARE YOU STUPID OR WHAT?! WHAT PART OF I DON’T WANT TO BE DISTURBED, CAN’T YOU GET?!” -she yelled, as she went to open the door. Opening it, she was scared by what she saw in front of her. A strange woman with pale blue skin and icy-blue hair and wearing what she considered to be the clothes with the most extravagant style she had ever seen in her whole life.

“Hello, Amélie…” -the strange woman said, as she walked in, making her fall back.  

“W-Who are you?!” -Amélie asked, as the enigmatic woman entered, always staring at her in the eyes. 

“Don’t you recognize me?! Of course, you don’t, I changed quite a bit… But, then again, you only care about yourself, so why would you care or remember someone like me? Someone who did everything you told her to do, someone whose talent means nothing to you? Someone, who was humiliated just a little while ago…” -Haute Couture practically whispered her the last part to her ear.

“N-Nina?” -Amélie asked her, puzzled by her new appearance.

“That’s right… but please, call me Haute Couture.” -the villainess smirked. –“Oh, you were making a couple of adjustments to the Rosenberg, weren’t you?” -she asked her. –“It’s a pity that no one will ever see it…”

“What do you think you’re going to do?”

“What I should have done the minute you fired me!!!” -she snapped at her former boss.

Making appear out of thing air several pairs of scissors, these were hovering in the air, when Haute Couture told them telepathically to start cutting and shredding the Rosenberg dress. In a matter of seconds, the once gorgeous dress was reduced to a pile of rags in front of their eyes.

“M-MY DRESS!!!!!” -Amélie yelled, as she saw the Rosenberg being reduced to a pile of useless rags.

“Your dress?! Ha! How dare you call that thing your dress, when the only thing you did was shout out orders of how you wanted things to be, to me and the seamstresses, while we were drawing the sketches?!” -Haute Couture asked her. –“If anyone here deserves credit for it, it should be me, you witch!” -she said. –“And now, run…”

“W-What?!”

“Run. It’ll be far more amusing to watch you run and beg for your life, than just stabbing you in the heart with a pair of scissors and watch you bleed out.” -Haute Couture told her in a low deep menacing voice. –“Now, run!!! -she yelled, throwing two pairs of scissors against her, which missed her face and left arm by a couple of inches.

* * *

While the chase started, Hawk Moth observed it from his private chambers. Using his powers, he had created an enormous bubble that served as a window to the outside world. In it, he was watching Haute Couture causing chaos and havoc; and the more chaos and havoc she caused, the more energy he absorbed from her. He was amazed by the akuma she had become… he knew she would become a strong one, but not as strong as she was revealing herself. It was time like these that he truly believed that hate and anger are the most powerful and unpredictable feelings one can have.

“It shouldn’t be long now… the Miraculous Team should be appearing any minute now.” -he said out loud, when there was a knocking at his door. –“Come in.”

“You called me, master?” -Madame Romani asked him, as she entered his chamber.

“I did. I wanted you to be here, so you could witness the end of the Miraculous Team.” -he told her, as she approached him.

“ _So, Reptile did manage to find someone to be akumatized… about time…_ ” -she thought to herself, as looked at what was happening in the bubble. –“Is that the new akuma, master?”

“Yes… I called her Haute Couture, and I must say that she’s revealing herself far more powerful than I anticipated.” -Hawk Moth grinned. –“But, at this rate, she’ll kill that woman before those blasted kids show up. I’ll have to tell Reptile to make sure that doesn’t happen. We wouldn’t want the party to end just yet.” -he said, as he contacted Reptile through telepathy. –“Reptile, do you hear me?”

“Yes, master, I do.” -Reptile communicated. He had been following Haute Couture from a far, and had now infiltrated back into the event.

“Listen, carefully. I need you to make sure that Haute Couture does not kill that woman, before Ladybug and her friends show up to spoil everything.” -Hawk Moth ordered him. –“I’m counting on you.”

“I understand, and do not fret, master. I know just how to do that.” -Reptile said, as he broke contact with Hawk Moth.

* * *

The rest of the gang had returned to the VIP area, where they kept talking with Adrien. They were all alone in there now, as the critic and the photographer had left. They were enjoying each other’s company, when started to hear the commotion outside and wondered what was going on.

“What do you think it’s happening?” -Max asked them.

“I don’t know, but it seems to me like it’s something really bad.” -Rose said.

“Do you think one of the critics went berserk after seeing something he didn’t like?” -Kim joked about.  

“Highly doubtful.” -Alix told him.

“Maybe one of us should go and see what’s going on.” -Juleka suggested.

“No need for that. I’ll call Alya and ask her what’s going on.” -Nino said, as he took out his cell phone, when Alya, Marinette, Sabrina and Chloé walked in. They looked an utter mess. Seeing them like that, Nino had to ask. –“What happened?”

“One moment… got to… catch up my breath…” -Marinette said, as she gulped for air.

“What happened?” -

“Bad news, guys. We got a code Mandarin!” -Alya exclaimed.

“Code what?” -Kim asked her.

“Code Mandarin.” -Alya repeated.

“And what it is a code Mandarin?” -Kim asked, confused.

“Seriously, Kim? Weren’t you paying attention when we discussed this?! A code Mandarin means that we got an akumatized nearby!” –Alya scolded him.

“Well, excuse me if I didn’t pay attention to that, when you were talking about it.” -Kim told her. –“I mean, it’s not like I broke one of the ten commandments!”

“Never mind that, we got to find a place to transform and stop whatever Hawk Moth has thrown at us.” -Mylene told them. Just thinking about it, was making her nervous. Luckily for her, to make her nerves disappear, she just had to hum her happy song, Smelly Wolf.

“But, where do we find a place big enough for us to do that, without risking the possibility of seeing us transform?” -Nathaniel asked them. 

Before anyone could answer Nathaniel’s question, Gabriel Agreste entered the room. He was looking rather distressed, like he had seen a ghost or something.

“Adrien!” -Gabriel exclaimed. –“Get to the trailer and hide yourself there.”

“W-What’s going on, dad?” -Adrien pretended he did not know what was going on.

“I don’t know, but I don’t want you here. Head to the trailer and take your friends with you. And lock the door!” -Gabriel ordered him, before he once more disappeared through the door.

“I guess that answers your question.” -Nino told him.

“Then, what are we waiting for? Let’s go!” -Alya told them.

Reaching the trailer was no picnic, especially since chaos had settled in and there was no kind of order. Among screams and yells, the group made their way to the place in question, led by Adrien. When they reached it, the blond quickly unlocked it and let everyone in, before locking the door behind him. The place was a little tight for all of them, but there was still some space to move at will.

“What’s the plan?” -Adrien asked, as the screams outside became louder.

“What do we know about this akuma?” -Sabrina asked.

“The only thing we know is that it looks like this and according to the message that was attached to the photo, she’s changing everyone’s clothes into garish versions of the same.” -the brunette showed them the photo on her cell phone.

“How are we going to tackle her?” -Juleka asked.

“I don’t know yet. We need more info. Let’s transform first, and then we’ll think about it, okay? -Marinette answered her.

“Are you guys ready?” -Alya asked the kwamis.

“Yeah!” -all the kwamis exclaimed.

“Okay, then let’s do this… Tikki, transforme moi!” –Marinette exclaimed.

“Plagg, transforme moi!” –“Adrien exclaimed.

“Trixx, transforme moi!” –Alya exclaimed.

“Wayzz, transforme moi!” –Nino exclaimed.

“Pollen, transforme moi!” –Chloé exclaimed.

“Mika, transforme moi!” –Sabrina exclaimed.

“Mulan, transforme moi!” –Nathaniel exclaimed.

“Pin, transforme moi!” –Mylene exclaimed.

“Flint, transforme moi!” –Rose exclaimed.

“Tamara, transforme moi!” –Juleka exclaimed.

“Ari, transforme moi!” –Max exclaimed.

“Imp, transforme moi!” –Kim exclaimed.

“Daria, transforme moi!” –Alix exclaimed.

“Muria, transforme moi!” –Ivan exclaimed.  

With those words, the whole gang transformed into their superhero alter-egos, ready for some serious action.  

“Let’s do this!” -Ladybug exclaimed to the others.

“Yeah, we got a city to protect!” -Dragonfly exclaimed.

“Just one question… how do we get out from here without being spotted?” -Flamingo asked.  


	12. The Hunt is On

Amélie Dufayel was running for her life. Never did she imagine that one of her former employers would end up being akumatized and tried to get revenge on her. In her head, she could not comprehend why Nina was targeting her… her massive ego prevented her from seeing what everyone else did; she was a self-absorbed egomaniac, and now, she was going to pay for it. Conjuring more and more pairs of scissors, Haute Couture would then throw them at Amélie, who managed to escape them by mere inches. If it was not for her athletic physique, she would be an easy target. Turning a corner, she thought she could escape her, by hiding behind a clothes rack. Breathing heavily, she hoped that would fool her long enough for her to get out of there. As Haute Couture approached the rack, Amélie’s heart skipped a couple of beats and her blood froze in her veins. Holding her breath, she begged every God she knew to let her pass without noticing her. Seconds seemed like hours, as she waited for Haute Couture to walk away from her hiding place. Finally, she kept walking, calling Amélie’s name.

“Thank God, she’s gone.” -she whispered, relieved.

“You were quite lucky, weren’t you?” -a voice from behind her said.

“Y-Yes, I suppose I can… who said that?” -she asked, turning her head behind, slowly.

“I did… Boo!” -the voice said, and this one belonged to none other than Reptile, Hawk Moth’s lieutenant. Seeing him, Amélie screamed on top of her lungs.

“AAHHHHHHHH!!!!”

The surreal image of Reptile scared her to death. If she was not scared enough with Haute Couture’s attempts to kill her, then now, she was. Her instinct told her… no, screamed at her to get out of there, if she was to have any chance of surviving that ordeal. Her screams, as she blasted herself from the clothes rack into the opposite direction, alerted Haute Couture to her presence. Turning around, she saw Amélie running, losing one of her shoes in the process.  

“There you are… And you? Who are you?!” -Haute Couture asked Reptile, who came out of where Amélie Dufayel had been hiding from her.   

“I’m Reptile. Hawk Moth, my master, has sent me to give you a hand.”  -he answered her.

“I don’t need any help… still, as long as you don’t stand in my way, you can stay.”

“Understood.” -he said, waving his head.

“One more thing… Dufayel is mine, so keep your claws away from her.” -she warned him.

And the hunt was on again. Amélie kept running for her life, pushing everyone that stood in her way. If having one person after her head was bed, then having two was even worse. Every time she thought she had given them the slip, Reptile would show up behind her, smiling malevolently at her and looking at her, and if she was a succulent piece of meat or an appetizer. As for Haute Couture, she kept using her powers to turn everyone’s clothes the way she thought they looked better. 

At last, Amélie saw herself with no way to go. She tried to go back the way she had come, but both Haute Couture and Reptile were already blocking the exit. There was no way out, and she knew it. She also knew that Nina was about to kill her

“Please, Nina… I beg you, don’t do anything you might regret...” -Amélie begged her. She was now on her knees, trembling in fear.

“The name is Haute Couture now, and I’m only doing what others should have done to you, a long time ago.” -she said, with a menacing voice. –“And as for regretting, the only thing I’ll regret was to not have done this the first time I laid my eyes on you.”

Snapping her fingers, she made appear eight pairs of scissors, these were sharper than the ones that she had created before, and way deadlier. Pointing them at her former employer, the villain smirked.  

“I think I’ll hit you in every different chakra in your body, and I’ll use the last one, to cut off your head…” –Haute Couture told her, as the scissors began to spin in the air like crazy, producing a hissing sound, similar to that of a snake.  

“P-Please, I beg you…” -Amélie begged once more, hoping that something inside Nina, would prevent her from hurting her, or worse, kill her.

“Order your soul to your Maker, because you’ll be with him in just a few seconds, Amélie Dufayel!!!” -Haute Couture exclaimed, as an even wider and sadistic smile appeared on her face.  

Snapping her fingers once more, the pairs of scissors flew all in the direction of the fashion designer, who closed her eyes so as to not see the horrible fate that awaited her. But, the scissors did not reach their designated target, when a gust of icy wind blew everything away, and froze the diabolical items, that shattered upon hitting the floor.

“Not so fast, you!” -a voice called out.

Standing to their left, was the whole Miraculous Team. Seeing them, Reptile immediately understood what had happened. Louve Grise had used her ice powers to stop Haute Couture’s attack.

“The Miraculous Team!” -Reptile exclaimed.

“You can say that again, lizard man!” -Volpina shot at him.

“Where’s your master and his other sidekick, huh? Don’t tell us that they’re too afraid to come out and play today?” -Queen Bee asked him with a mocking voice.

“That is none of your business, and furthermore, you’ll be dead before you know the answer.” -Reptile shot at her. –“These are the ones that you’re supposed to kill as well, Haute Couture.”

“I see…” -Haute Couture said, as she looked at them. –“Before I kill you, let me just state that I’ve got nothing against you, it’s just part of an agreement. Well, nothing, except those rather ghastly costumes that you’re wearing. They’re so out of fashion.”

“Out of fashion?!” -Queen Bee raised her eyebrow. –“Have you looked at yourself in the mirror lately, lady? The 80’s called, and they said they want their fashion sense back!”

“You’ll regret those words, you brat!” -Haute Couture spat at her.  

“ _So, her name is Haute Couture…_ ” -Ladybug thought to herself. –“ _I wonder what kind of other powers, besides creating scissors out of thin air, she has?_ ”

Before she could even think about it, Haute Couture used her fashion beam on them, but to her surprise, nothing happened. Ladybug and the others’ clothes looked the same as before they were hit by the beam.

“What?! What’s going on? How come you still have those awful clothes and not some better versions of them?” -Haute Couture asked out loud, baffled about what her eyes showed her.  

“Guess we’re immune to whatever that ray does.” -Jade Turtle told her. –“If that’s all you can do, then I guess we’re going to beat you in five minutes, tops.”

“Don’t you dare to mock me, little boy! I have more surprises than you can think of.” -Haute Couture told him.

Without warning, from her hands, dozens of measuring tapes were shot, targeting the young heroes, who were forced to get out of the way. When the tips of those measuring tips hit the numerous objects that were behind them, they shredded them into tiny little bits. It was then they all understood that Haute Couture was not going to be defeated as easily as they thought.

“Easy on the jokes, Turtle! She’s got quite the temperament… and the same things goes for you, Chat.” -Corbeau Noire told the two boys.

“What? I haven’t even cracked a joke today!”

“But we know how you are… you practically can’t resist doing that.” -she told him.

“Fine, I’ll go easy on the jokes, this time.” -the feline assured her.   

“You!!! Take her away from here, and hold her there, until I finish these pests.” -Haute Couture ordered Reptile, pointing to Amélie Dufayel. –“ _I will not be denied my vengeance against that witch_.” -she thought to herself.

“Fine… but remember, I’m not your delivery boy!” -Reptile told her, as he prepared to grab Dufayel, when he was stopped by one of Forest Doe’s arrows.

“Keep away from her, snake breath!” -Forest Doe told him with a serious voice, while pointing another arrow at him. –“Or else, I’ll make shish kebab out of you!” -she warned him, giving Amélie enough time to get away.

Seeing the bane of her existence run away from there, Haute Couture snapped at Reptile.

“Get her!!!”

“I’ll get her, but you get rid of these kids! Hawk Moth wants them all dead!” -Reptile told her, as he started chasing Amélie. 

“And dead he shall have them.” –Haute Couture smirked, as she readied herself to attack.  

Using the same trick once more, she tried to slice the heroes, while also conjuring numerous scissors, which she threw at them. As time went by, Haute Couture was gaining more and more control over her powers, and that scared the heroes, especially Ladybug, who was trying to come up with a plan.

“We need a plan!” -Dragonfly exclaimed.

“I’m thinking, I’m thinking!” -Ladybug exclaimed, as she visualized the possible outcomes of a battle against Haute Couture. Bearing in account the powers that she had showed them, and others that they still had not seen, the scarlet heroine knew that attacking her all at once was not the way. To win, they had to adopt a different strategy… divide to conquer.

“Let’s split up!” -she said.

“Split up? Are you sure?!” –Chat Noir asked her, as he blocked one more of her Haute Couture’s attacks with his staff.

“There are still people inside who might be in danger, and we have Reptile after Amélie Dufayel. Splitting up is the only way to make sure everything is dealt with.” -Ladybug told him. –“Three teams. Louve, Grizzly and Volpina, you’re with me! We’ll try and stop Haute Couture. Bee, you, Corbeau Noire, Flamingo, Arachnid, Antelope and Dragonfly grab everyone you see that shouldn’t be here and take them outside! We don’t want any innocents getting hurt. Chat, Turtle and Doe, you go after Amélie Dufayel and get out of here, while dealing with Reptile. Make sure you take her somewhere safe and away from here!” -she ordered them all.

“What about me?” -Panda Rouge asked, having been left out by Ladybug.

“You try and come up with a way to contain this mess. No one gets in. Remember what happened when Gargantua started spitting akuma butterflies and we had all those bystanders turned into creepy shadow minions? We don’t want that to happen again, in case this one is also able to do the same thing.” -Ladybug winked at him.

“Right!” -he said.

“Leave to us!” -they all said in chorus, as they spread out to fulfil what their leader had ordered them.    

* * *

As Ladybug and her friends tried to take care of things, Hawk Moth watched them, wondering if they actually believed they stood a chance against this new akuma of his. By his side was Madame Romani, who also watched as the action took place. The fact that there was something going on and she was stuck down there was driving her insane. She was eager to use her powers on the Miraculous Team, to hurt them both physically as psychologically.   

“Master, please, let me join the fight. I know Reptile won’t be able to defeat those teenagers on his own, even with the help of Haute Couture.” -Madame Romani begged her master.

“You are more helpful here.” -Hawk Moth said. Secretly, he needed her by his side, until he had recharged his power. Though Haute Couture was providing him with a substantial energy wave, it was still not enough. Romani’s energy was equally powerful, and if she was using it to fight the Miraculous Team, he would not be able to absorb it and regain in his full power.

“But master, if I may, I would be far more helpful in the battle field. I’ve been practicing and mastering my powers for such an occasion, and I can assure you that I will be able to get those teenagers to turn on each other, and let them kill each other.” -she declared, already picturing the kind of hallucinations she would use on each of the kids.  

“And I say that your job right now is to obey your master’s orders, without questioning them.” -Hawk Moth told her with a low and menacing voice. Though he knew Romani’s powers would surely enable her to get rid of those heroes, once and for all, he needed her near him. He needed to regain his full power, even if that meant taking his most powerful player temporarily out of the game.

“Yes, master.” -she said. She did not like it, but she would obey her master’s orders, no matter what they were.

* * *

Combining their powers, Ladybug, Louve Grise, Grizzly Bear and Volpina went up against Haute Couture, who was proving more and more of a challenge to them. As time went by, her control over her powers got better, and instead of just summoning scissors and throwing at the four heroes, she was now also summoning needles and pins which increased in size. Swinging her yoyo, Ladybug used it to create a shield with which she repelled everything the villainess threw at her. Louve also used her fan to create powerful gusts of icy air that would either freeze the objects thrown by Haute Couture or, the very least, deflect them. As for Grizzly and Volpina, they both used the environment around them to hide and wait for an opportunity to strike her.

“We’ve got to find a way to get her down!” -Volpina yelled at Grizzly Bear, who was hiding for cover behind a broken sound column.

“But how?! We can’t even get near her!” -Grizzly told her.

“Use your special ability and make her fall! That’ll give us a little time!” -Volpina suggested him.

“Why don’t you use your illusions instead?” -he asked her.

“Because we need her taken down, not confused.” -Volpina declared. –“Now, go on, use it!”

It was a risky move, even Grizzly Bear knew that, given the sheer force of his special attack, the Earth Shaking, if he was not careful, he could end up destroying everything that was around them. Still, he knew that Ladybug and Louve Grise were starting to get tired and needed to catch their breath. Focusing, he visualized his target, closed both his fists and then, he jumped over the sound column and with a precise and almost graceful move, he landed his fists on the ground as hard as he could, producing a well-placed earthquake accompanied by a few jolts of electricity, which made its way to where Haute Couture was. Seeing that Grizzly forgot to warn Louve and Ladybug, Volpina quickly yelled at them.      

“Girls, earthquake!!!” -Volpina yelled at both girls, who understood what was going to happen.

Ceasing their attacks, the girls backflipped, avoiding the sheer force of the earthquake, which hit Haute Couture and made her lose her balance, as well as knocking her out. Landing on their feet, both Ladybug and Louve Grise, turned around to face Grizzly.  

“Nice work!” -Louve commended him.

“But next time, remember to give us a heads up.” -Ladybug warned him. –“I don’t want to end up like her, over there.”

“Sorry about that.” -Grizzly apologized. Whenever he used his special attack, he got so carried on with it, that he forgot to warn the others he was about to use it.

“Never mind that now, we got her!” -Volpina said, as she joined the three of them, and went to check Haute Couture, who was still lying on the ground, without moving a single muscle.

“You think I went too hard on her?”

Before anyone could answer him, Haute Couture opened her eyes and raised her left hand, shooting a measuring tape from it, which wrapped itself around Grizzly Bear’s neck, choking him. She tried to do the same thing with the other three heroes, but they proved to be faster than their friend. Grizzly tried to rip the tape from around his neck, but the more he pulled it, the tighter it became. Using her yo-yo, Ladybug cut the tape, which allowed Grizzly to remove it, before it choked him to death.

“T-Thanks, Ladybug!” -Grizzly Bear told her, as he grasped for air.   

“Don’t mention it.” -Ladybug smiled at him. If it was up to her, she was not going to let one of her friends to be hurt on her watch.

“I was trying to go soft on you, but it seems to me that I have step up my game.” -haute Couture told them.

“Bring it on, lady!” -Volpina said, as she pointed her flute staff at the villainess, like a bow-stick.   

* * *

At the same time, Dragonfly and Antelope were using their speed to get everyone out of there as quickly as they could, with Queen Bee, Corbeau Noire, Flamingo and Arachnid helping them out.

“This way, please!” -Flamingo asked a couple, as they picked up the pace. She thought about using her multiplication ability to speed up the process, but was afraid that having too many people doing the same thing, would make things even more chaotic than they already were. People were scared, and

“It’s madness out here!” -Corbeau Noire said out loud. –“We need to be even faster.”

“I’m going in as fast as I can!” -Antelope said, as he stopped in front of yet another civilian, and grabbed him. –“Hang on, you’ll be out of here in no time!” -he said, as Dragonfly flew just a little above his head, looking for another person to carry out of that tent.

“I sure hope others are doing better than us, right about now:” -Arachnid said, as he used his lasso to pull out of the way a few speakers that had fallen, and were blocking a path.

Outside, the police had just arrived with numerous SWAT team trucks. Ever since Hawk Moth had showed his face for the first time, that city hall had ordered the police to have their men ready to deal with any other threats the madman would surely      

Trying to ignore the infernal commotion that was starting to take place on the lawn of the Champ de Mars, Panda Rouge worked as fast as he could to create a wall that would prevent any civilians from entering where the action was taking place, as well as keeping everyone at a safe distance. At the same time, he also designed a net that once deployed would spread over the whole place and catch any akuma butterflies that Haute Couture could produce to create minions.

“Let’s hope this works.” -he told himself, as he watched the police getting ready for the worst. The people nearby had already understood that something was going on, and just like before, they did not want to go. They wanted to feel close to where the action was going, and made sure to record everything either on their cell phones, or with their cameras.  

* * *

Inside the event, Chat Noir, Jade Turtle and Forest Doe kept looking for Amélie Dufayel and Reptile, who seemed to have disappeared out of sight.  

“Where is she?” -Jade Turtle asked.

“I can’t see her! Do you think she’s managed to go outside?” -Chat Noir asked.

“I don’t know. She was too scared to even know where she was running to, but there’s always the possibility she managed to do it.” -Forest Doe answered him.

Still, the fact that she kept yelling for help like crazy helped the young heroes. Unfortunately, they had to concentrate on to tell those very same yells of help from the rest of the noise you could hear, mixed with some annoying song that was still on. If it was not for Doe’s incredible hearing, it would be impossible for them to accomplish such a feat.

Reptile, on the other hand could not be happies. The Miraculous Team was fighting against an akuma that would most likely end up destroying them, while he was chasing the one person that was the full reason why all of that was happening. Amélie’s panicking screams were like music to him, as he kept chasing her. His plan was to get her tired, and then, when she was too exhausted to even move a finger, he would carry her out of there and wait for her to accomplish her mission. Still, he was not going do that just yet. He was having way too much fun, chasing that woman, her screams were like a melody to his ears. If Haute Couture was not so determined in killing her, he would do it himself just for the fun of it; after all, Amélie Dufayel was someone who represented the kind of people he hated the most, and just like that kind of people, she deserved to suffer.

Using his powers, he would change his appearance to get near her, as she looked for a place to hide, and then, revealed his true appearance to her, scaring her even more. It was game of cat and mouse they were playing, and that now deserted and chaotic part of the event, proved to be the perfect place to play it. There were so many places she could hide, as well as places for him to wait for the right moment to show up and scare her.   

“There’s nowhere to run or hide… I’ll find you!” -he yelled, making Amélie’s skin crawl, and his heart beat with anticipation.

It did not take him long to find her once more, as she was exhausted and her heart was beating like a drum. She wanted to get away from that lizard man, as she was calling Reptile in her mind, but her body did not have any more energy. All she wanted was to lay down and die, right there.

“I’d love to keep this going on for a little longer, but this infernal music is starting to make me go nuts, and I have a job to do.” -Reptile told her, smiling menacingly at her with his pointy teeth. But, she was already too tired to react, that he could have gobbled her up or just eat one of her arms, that she would not offer any kind of resistance.

As he was about to grab her, another one of Forest Doe’s arrows prevented him from doing it so, as Jade Turtle created a sort of sphere around Amélie, using his ability to create turtle-shaped energy shields.

“Keep away from the lady, you snake!” -Jade Turtle told him.

“Because if you don’t, you’re going to regret it.” -Chat Noir warned him.      

“One more step, and I’ll pierce your eyes with my arrows, you hear me?!” -Forest Doe told Reptile, not taking her eyes from him.

“You really don’t know when to give up do you?” -Reptile said, as he took out his trademark blade, and got ready to fight them. –“Neither do I…”

“You’re going to fight us?” -Jade Turtle asked him.

“No… I’m going to skin you alive. And I’m going to start with you, pretty girl, then the kitty cat, and finally, I’ll peel off that suit out of you and make turtle soup out of you!” -Reptile warned the three of them, of his intentions.  

“Oh, I’m shaking in my boots…” -Jade Turtle told him, sarcastically. –“If you’re going to attack us, then do it already. I got plans for tonight, so hurry up!!”

Not giving him time to think about his next comment, Reptile threw himself at them, using both his knife, as well as his jaws to attack the three of them at the same time. Luckily, thanks to their fast moves, Reptile was not able to land a single hit on them. Still, they all noticed, especially Chat and Turtle, that he was faster and his thrusts were more accurate than they were the first time they fought him.

Inside the makeshift sphere, Amélie Dufayel had regained some of her and was now watching the three heroes fighting Reptile. She had heard about them and read about them in the papers and on the Internet. When Gargantua and Hawk Moth showed up, she was in Japan, promoting one of her latest designs, and initially thought that everything had been just an elaborate publicity stunt for a film. And now, she was seeing first hand that they were all real, and were trying to save her. But soon, something else caught her attention, and that something was actually someone. Across from where they were, was the man she called her archenemy and rival, Gabriel Agreste, who looked incredibly

“Gabriel Agreste, you swine! This is all your fault!” -she screamed on top of her lungs to the designer, who heard her. –“You heard me! This is all your fault!

The fashion designer, who had been helping people out, while making sure that no one from his staff would be left behind, only saw what was going on, when he heard Amélie’s voice calling his name among all that noise.  

“That’s right! It’s your fault!” -Amélie Dufayel pointed at him.

“ _Dad? What he’s still doing here?_ ” -Chat asked himself, seeing his father just a dozen meters from him.  

“Well, well, someone else to play with.” -Reptile smirked, as he noticed Gabriel’s presence. –“And if that woman says that he’s the real one who’s to blame for Haute Couture’s transformation, well, maybe she’ll want to take care of him as well…”

Reptile was about to ditch the three heroes to make a run for Gabriel and make him his hostage, when Antelope showed up and punched him in the face, at a speed worthy of the Flash himself. The speed at which Reptile was hit, made him fly a couple of meters into the air, and landing on pile of chairs.

“Don’t you just hate that guy?” -Antelope joked.  

“What are you doing here? Weren’t you supposed to be helping the others evacuating this place?” -Forest Doe asked, after seeing him.

“They got everything under control. You guys on the other hand, could use a little hand.” -he told her, when he noticed Gabriel’s presence. –“Mr. Agreste, a pleasure to meet you. Big fan of your work.” -Antelope tried making conversation, to get him to relax little and understand that they were there to help him.   

“T-Thank you, I guess.”

“I don’t know what you’re doing here, sis, but you can’t stay here.”

“I-I can’t go… I have to go and see if my son and his friends are alright.”

“If you tell me where they are, I can go and see if they’re alright. But you, you’ve got to get out of here.” -Antelope told him.

“Listen, I don’t like to be given orders, especially by strangers. Now, I’m going to get my son and his friends, and then I’m leaving.” -Gabriel Agreste told Antelope.

“Leave him there! I’m the victim around here!” -Amélie Dufayel yelled at the heroes. –“You heard me! Get me out of here!”

“You got to get my dad out of here.” -Chat whispered to Jade Turtle. –“I can’t have him getting hurt.”

“But how are we going to do that? He won’t go without you and the rest of us.” -Jade Turtle reminded him. Gabriel would never leave without taking his son with him, and they both knew that.

Chat was about to answer him, when Reptile grabbed Gabriel Agreste from behind and placed his blade against the man’s neck. Taking advantage of the heroes’ distraction and Dufayel’s incessant screams, he moved past them and take Chat’s dad as his hostage. Smirking, he said:

“Back away! Do it, or this guy gets it!” -Reptile told them, as he gently pressed the switchblade against Gabriel’s neck. Hearing him, Antelope backed away. –“I’m going to take him and woman there out of here, and you’re not going to stop me… Because if you do, I’ll cut off his neck. No, better yet, I’ll rip off his neck.” -he said, as he opened his mouth as wide as he could, showing his pointy teeth. –“I warn you, I’m not kidding! Get the woman out of that sphere you created around her and back away!”

Feeling that he had heard enough, Antelope used once more his speed to take Reptile down, only this time, he used a fast series of punches to take him down. Then, he caught some wire that was around and tied him up like a Christmas goose. All of that in less than ten seconds. The only thing he did not expect was to also hit Gabriel Agreste, who blacked out and fell on the ground.

“Don’t worry, he’s alright. He’s just out.” -Antelope told them. –“Sorry about that, Mr. Agreste, it was not my intention to hurt you.” -he whispered at the unconscious man.

“ _That’ll make things easier. If he stays out cold until we finish this, then we won’t have to worry about him finding out we’re not in the trailer._ ” -Chat Noir thought to himself. –“Okay, then let’s get him out of here, as well as Miss Dufayel. It’s obvious they’re not safe here.”

Jade Turtle created another sphere out of his shields around Gabriel Agreste, who was still unconscious. While he did that, Antelope traded places with Dragonfly and told her to take Arachnid with her. Chat quickly told them what they were supposed to do, and the two of them did exactly it. Using his lasso, Arachnid wrapped it around the two spheres and then tied a nose, so Dragonfly could hoist them into the air. The plan was to get them both out of there, while keeping them safe in those energy spheres, in case something worst happened.   

“What are you waiting for?! Get me out of here!” -Amélie Dufayel yelled at them.

“ _I’m starting to understand why Haute Couture was akumatized… this woman’s getting on my nerves!_ ” -Dragonfly thought to herself.  –“Just one moment, please. We’ll get you and Mr. Agreste out of here in a minute.” -she said, trying to be as polite as she could.

“Who cares about him?! It’s because of him that this whole thing started I the first place! If I were you, I would just leave him

“Yeah, well, we’re not you, lady, and he’s coming with us.” -Arachnid told her, already fed up of that conversation.  

“What about him?” -Forest Doe asked, pointing at Reptile who was still unconscious and tied up.

“He’s not going anywhere. We’ll come back for him, later. Right now, we’re getting out of here.” -Jade Turtle told her.

* * *

While Chat and the others began their plan to get both Amélie Dufayel and his dad out of there, Ladybug, Grizzly Bear, Volpina and Louve Grise had taken the fight with Haute Couture outside. Making use of Volpina’s illusionary powers, she created duplicates of the four of them, and with them, they tried to exhaust her as much as they could. Still, it did not take long for Haute Couture to see through their tricks and take down the duplicates.

“You’re good, I’ll give you all that. But a genius such as myself, has always a trick up its sleeve.” -she smiled maliciously at them. The trick she had was sure to tilt the scale to her advantage, and to cause numerous problems to the miraculous holders.


	13. Battle in Three Fronts

Smiling cruelly at the heroes, Haute Couture readied herself to tilt the game in her favour. The heroes would not even know what hit them. Snapping her fingers, her smile widened, as Ladybug and the others waited for something to happen… but it did not. Exchanging looks between the four, the heroes tried to understand what exactly happened, or was about to happen. Seconds went by, and still nothing. Growing more nervous as the seconds went by, Ladybug broke the wall of silence and asked:

“What happened?! What did you do?!”

“What did I do? Simple, I called for back-up…” -she smiled.

“What are you talking about?”

And then, the screams and yells went off the chart. Looking behind them, they saw something that amazed and terrified them. The people whom Haute Couture had given an upgrade on their outfit were seeing themselves in another predicament. The new clothes they were wearing turned into a sort of living goo, which started to cover them from head to toes, and turned them into multicoloured mannequins; but these looked like no ordinary mannequins. They had a menacing look and they were arms with all sorts of cutting objects; knives, scissors, knitting needles, and many other kinds. All of them, demanding for the taste of blood.

“What did you do to them?!” -Ladybug asked her.

“I simply give them another upgrade… one that will make sure you won’t wear those ugly outfits of yours, ever again, because you’ll be dead.” -Haute Couture told them in a low menacing tone.

“Turn them back, or else…” -Grizzly Bear told her.

“Or else, what, kid?!”

“You don’t want me to finish that sentence, lady!” -Grizzly Bear shot at her with a serious voice. It was bad enough she was causing all that ruckus, now she was turning innocent people into her own personal army, and that made the holder of the bear miraculous boil with anger.

“You heard him, turn them back!” -Volpina ordered her.

“I don’t think so… but I’m going to allow them to play with you.” -Haute Couture told them, as she cleared her voice and projected it. –“My darlings, teach these kids some manners!”

Hearing their mistress calling them, every last one of the people turned into mannequins started to run towards where Ladybug and her companions were, pointing their weapons.

“Hate to say it, but we’re in deep trouble.” -Louve Grise told her friends.

“You call this trouble? I call this passing time…” -Grizzly Bear said, clashing his’ brass knuckles against one another, making a distinct metal sound.

“Take them down as quickly as you can, and then, we’ll hit Haute Couture with everything we’ve got!” -Ladybug ordered them. –“Volpina, a couple of illusionary duplicates, please.”

“Consider them made.” -Volpina winked at her friend and leader, as she took the flute’s tip to her lips and played a little melody, creating the copies Ladybug had asked her to create.      

Not far from where Ladybug and the others were, Flamingo, Corbeau Noire, Queen Bee and Antelope were also having their own problems with the deadly mannequins. Not only they were making sure that innocent people would not get hurt by them, but they were also trying to stop them from touching those very same innocent people; fir they had found out that once people were touched by them, they would also turn into mannequins. Seeing that happening, the first thing that came to the minds of the four heroes was the same principle of a zombie bite in a horror movie. Luckily, their powers made them immune to their touch.

“Grab something we can use to tie them all up!” -Corbeau Noire said as, she used her shadow powers to hold the mannequins up in the air, where they would not hurt or infect anyone, if one could you use that term.

“I’m looking! I’m looking!” -Antelope said, as he dashed looking for a rope they could use.

“More of them at 3 o’clock!” -Flamingo said, as she somersaulted over a couple of chairs, landing a powerful kick on one of the infernal mannequins that was coning near Corbeau Noire.

“They’re too many for a simple rope… let’s see if I can secure them using something a little stronger.” -Queen Bee said.

Using her trompo, the bee hero created small tornadoes that began to shred the tent near them, and then pull them all into a single tornado. Focusing, she wrapped the mannequins in the tent’s shreds, making it impossible for them to move. Then, with one last gust of wind, she made them fly to where she knew, they would not bother them again.  

“Nice work!” -Antelope said.

“But here come more!” -Flamingo cried, as she used her power to duplicate herself.

“Hope you can use that trick again, because we’re far from ending this.” -Corbeau Noire told Queen Bee, as she used her shadow powers to make the ones she was holding in the air, to clash against the approaching ones.   

* * *

As this happened, a part of the team had no idea what was going on, as they were too high in the air, with the task they had in hands. That, and Amélie Dufayel kept complaining about being stuck in an energy sphere created by Jade Turtle to transport her to a safe location, along with Gabriel Agreste, whom Antelope had accidently knocked out, when saving him from Reptile. And the place they chose to keep them safe from Haute Couture was none other than the Eiffel Tower. Built in 1887 for the 1889 World Fair, the Eiffel Tower was named after Gustave Eiffel, whose company designed and built it. Standing 324 meters tall, it was one of the tallest structures in Paris, and the best-known symbol of the French capital. And now, it was the perfect place to hide Dufayel and Agreste from the prying eyes of the akuma created by Hawk Moth. They chose it because it was high and it was easy to defend, in case Haute Couture could find them.   

“Are you sure you can lift us all?” -Jade Turtle asked Dragonfly. The pink-haired girl was carrying the two spheres with Amélie Dufayel and Gabriel Agreste, as well as Arachnid, Chat Noir, Forest Doe and Jade Turtle, as they did their best not to drop. A fall from that height would be lethal, or the very least, extremely dangerous, even with their powers and enhanced abilities.  

“Please, if I have enough strength to hold a tanker truck way up in the air, then I think I can hold you guys.” -Dragonfly told them.

“But last time, you had help, remember?”

“I do remember it, but then again, you guys are a lightweight when compared to a tanker truck.” -she joked, as they approached their destination, the Eiffel Tower’s first level.

Dropping them on the first level, it did not take much for the people who were there to start gathering around where the spheres containing Amélie Dufayel and Gabriel Agreste were. Seeing this, Jade Turtle decided to take matter into his own hands and created a couple of shields to keep the people at bay, while Dragonfly asked the security guards and police officers that were on duty there, to escort them into the ground. They hoped Haute Couture would not come there, but in case she did, they did not want anyone getting hurt. Little by little, everyone exited the place, though there were many protests about it. The people who had bought the ticket to see the tower protested that they had not seen it fully and were refusing to get out before they did, while others wanted to stay close to Paris’ heroes and see them in action. Still, no matter how much they protested about it, they all ended up going down the stairs or the elevator, leaving Chat Noir and the others alone. It felt strange to them to have that whole place just for themselves. If they were not saving the day, they would appreciate having this unique opportunity to enjoy the tower and its magnificent view of the city. But, they had a job to do, and Amélie Dufayel was making sure they did not forget it, by continually screaming. 

“Let me out, right now! I demand you let me out, right now!!!!” -she screamed.

“Miss, you’re perfectly safe in there.” -Dragonfly told her.

“I’ll tell you what I think it’s safe! Safe is catching the first plane out of this city and only come back, when you or the police catch her and put her behind bars!” -she told him. –“Now, get me out of here! The faster I get to the airport, the better!”

“Can you shut her up? She’s driving me crazy with this conversation of hers…” -Forest Doe whispered at her friends.

“Hold on.” -Jade Turtle told her, as he held his tonfas above his head and made a couple of moves with them. Then, suddenly, they stopped hearing Amélie’s complains.

“Finally, some peace and quiet.” -Dragonfly said, relieved.  

“What did you do?” -Forest Doe asked.

“I insulated her bubble. She can scream all she wants, that we won’t hear her.” -Jade Turtle joked.

While they did this to their guest, Chat Noir kept an eye on their other guest, his father, Gabriel. He had not come to his senses, and in Chat’s mind, that was a good thing. If Gabriel woke up right then, he would start worrying about having left him and the rest of the class back in the event, and Chat did not want him to worry. Seeing him with a slightly gloomed face, his best buddy decided to cheer him up.

“Don’t worry, he’s safe here.” -Jade Turtle told him.

“I know, but still, as long as Haute Couture is out there, he’ll be in danger. According to Amélie Dufayel, he’s the real reason why this whole thing started in the first place.” -Chat answered him.

“And you believe that nonsense? Come on, we already ascertained that that woman is clearly one of the loudest and meanest people in the world. No wonder Haute Couture wants her head on a silver plate. If I had someone who treated me the way our villain says she treated her, I would definitely want to chop her head with an axe.” -Jade Turtle joked about it.

“True…” -Chat chuckled. Only his best buddy could make him laugh like that.

“Uh, guys, I think we got another problem…” -Dragonfly told them, pointing out to what was going down on the floor. Looking down, they saw the madness that was taking place on the grass. On one side, there was the police who were trying to get everyone out of there in safety, while on the other, there were Queen Bee, Corbeau Noire, Flamingo and Antelope making use of their special powers to immobilize as many as those creatures as they could. Still, the mannequins’ number was going up quite fast and even with Corbeau’s shadow powers, at that rate, they were going to need an extra set of hands to keep them under control, while Ladybug and the others took care of Haute Couture. There was Panda Rouge, but he was busy himself with keeping the barrier he had created up and running. There was only one way out of that mess… someone had to go down there and help them.

“This is bad…” -Jade Turtle declared.

“So, this one doesn’t spit Akuma butterflies, but can create minions all the same…” -Forest Doe stated.

“As if things weren’t bad enough already.” -Chat Noir declared.

“I’m going to give the others a hand.” -Dragonfly told them, as got on the ledge and readied herself to jump from it.

“Wait, take me with you. I can help.” -Arachnid told her.

“No, you and the others stay here, in case those things decide to start climbing the tower looking for the two of them.” -Dragonfly told him. -“Keep your eyes peeled, and I’ll be back soon, okay?” -she said, as she plummeted from the ledge, springing her wings, before speeding through the air.

* * *

Lying on the floor still unconscious, Reptile did not even imagine what was going on. Seeing him like that, Hawk Moth decided to wake him up. He needed his lieutenant to get back on action.

“ _Reptile… Reptile… Reptile! Wake up!_ ” -Hawk Moth told him telepathically. –“ _Wake up, this instant!_ ”

Hearing his master’s voice echoing inside his head, Reptile groggily opened his eyes. He felt his head several sizes bigger, and a nudging headache that felt getting worse every time he breath  

“M-Master? Is that you?” -Reptile asked with a groggy voice.

“ _Of course, it’s me, you imbecile!_ ” –Hawk Moth yelled at him, making his head hurt. –“ _How could you let a bunch of kids to do that to you?!_ ”

“F-Forgive me, master…”

Reptile had not finished talking, when a sudden jolt of energy cramped all his muscles, and made him scream in agony. This only happened for about three seconds, but to Reptile, it felt like three very long hours. Breathing heavily, and trying to ignore the excruciating pain he was in, he listened to what his master told him.  

“ _If you fail me again, trust me, when I say that this shock you received just now, will feel like a massage, when compared to what I have planned for you. Remember that._ ” -Hawk Moth warned him. The way he was talking to him, Reptile knew that the villain was not kidding.

“Y-Yes, master…” -Reptile answered.

“ _Now, use your strength to break those wires and do what you’re supposed to do! Go and help Haute Couture!_ ” -Hawk Moth ordered him. –“ _And don’t fail me again!_ ” -he yelled, as he broke telepathic link with Reptile, leaving him with an even nastier headache than before.

Cursing himself for his own mistake, Reptile knew he had to go back into action. Hawk Moth’s warning kept echoing in his head.

“Lousy, kids… Hawk Moth was right. I let my guard down, and they made a fool out of me! I’ll rip them to shreds! And I’ll start with that Antelope!” -he said, as he forced the wire that was holding both his hands and feet, snapping it. Though his whole body still hurt, his hatred for the teenagers was strong enough to make him forget about his pain momentarily.       

As he got up, one of the mannequins created by Haute Couture went by him, and he could not help but to smile.

“ _Looks like she got herself some back-up… good, that’ll give me time to go after that Antelope brat._ ” -she thought to himself.

* * *

Haute Couture’s mannequins were staring to become a pain in the neck for the heroes, as they tried to fight them and the villainess herself. Watching his companions fighting, Panda Rouge felt rather useless, just staying there controlling the barrier he had created. He had also created smaller barriers to keep the police officers that had arrived at the field safe, before he created the barrier to protect the civilians, but still, he would rather be by their side, fighting that crazy woman. He really wanted to join them, but the power needed to keep the barrier up and running, forced him to stand still, focusing on the task at hand.

“ _I can’t get out of here, but, I can’t just stay here and hope they can defeat her, when I can help them…_ ” -Panda Rouge told himself.  –“ _I can’t move from here, but maybe I can give them something to help them fight Haute Couture._ ”  

Using his pencil, he began to sketch what many would call sentry robots to help their friends. Once again, his passion for science-fiction, robotics and comic books was helping him, by providing the necessary inspiration he needed to draw those machines. Unfortunately, like it happened when he was focused on his drawings, Panda did not hear the threat that sneaked upon him. When he finally heard the mannequin that was about to attack him, it was already too late… he was practically breathing on his neck. Turning around, he barely had the time to revert his pencil into its spear form, when the mannequin holding two pairs of scissors tried to stab him with them. Rolling down on the grass, Panda was able to punch it into submission. Still, though he was able to defeat it, the worse was done… he had lost his concentration, and the barrier he created disappeared, as well as the unfinished sentry drones he was drawing, when he was attacked. 

“Oh, great… I’ve got to pull it up again, and fast!”

But it was too late, the barrier was gone and everyone that has been safe behind it until a few seconds ago, were now at the mercy of any of Haute Couture’s mannequin minions.

* * *

With the barrier down, and the mannequin minions going after the crowd that had gathered to see what was going on, it was up to Panda Rouge and the police officers to try and do their best to keep them away from the civilians. The hero still tried to rise another barrier, but the mannequins made it impossible. Focusing himself, he tried to fight off as many of those diabolical creatures as he could. But, he was not alone. From afar, Forest Doe was using her bow and magical arrows to help him out a little. Even from where she was, her aim was still the best. Pin, her kwami had told her that one of his holders had been Robin Hood himself, and that she was just as good as he was back in his days.

At the same time, Queen Bee’s group was being helped by Dragonfly. Using her speed and agility, combined with the flying abilities of Queen Bee, Flamingo and Corbeau Noire, she was able to take down multiple mannequins, and then hold them in a makeshift cage that Antelope came up with in a couple of minutes. Still, no matter how many they managed to contain in that cage, or wrap like mummies, they were still too many for them to handle just by themselves. Their only hope to put a stop at them, was that Ladybug and the rest of the heroes that were fighting against Haute Couture, managed to take her down. Unfortunately, their battle against her was dragging itself longer than they had expected, and they were all beginning to show a few signs of tiredness.    

Being thrown into the ground by Haute Couture, Ladybug who was becoming exhausted herself at that point, took a few seconds longer to get up, so she could access what was happening at that moment.

“ _She’s really tough… maybe I should ask the others to help us out…_ ” -the scarlet heroine thought to herself. –“ _But I can’t do that… they’re already giving everything they got to stop these zombie mannequins she created. If I tell them to come and help us, those mannequins could easily find other targets on the people that are watching us, especially now that the barrier is gone… what are we going to do?_ ” -she thought.

Seeing her friend in the ground, Dragonfly signalled Flamingo that she was going to see if she was alright, and headed to her encounter, landing right in front of her.

“Are you alright?” -she asked Ladybug, while helping her getting back on her feet.

“I’m fine, I’m fine.” -she said, trying not to show just how nervous and panicked she was, right then.

“Don’t worry, we can do this.” -Dragonfly told her, as if she knew she needed to hear that. –“Things are a little chaotic, but… WATCH OUT!!!” -she screamed, as she threw Ladybug to the ground.

The reason Dragonfly did this was because Haute Couture saw them both standing there, and threw a hail of needles at them, which nearly turned Dragonfly into a human porcupine. Feeling that what she did was absolutely disloyal and ignominious, Dragonfly threw her frisbee at the villainess, hitting her on the face, and making her bleed from a small cut on the cheek. 

“Thanks...” -Ladybug told her, as she got up.  

“Don’t thank me, thank my frisbee and my aim.” -she joked about it.

“You’re going to regret that, little girl!” -Haute Couture roared, as she ran her fingers where the frisbee hit her, cleaning a small drop of blue blood.  

“You’ll have to catch me first, lady!” -Dragonfly said, as she flew into the air, circling Haute Couture from behind and throwing her frisbee at her, once more.

Having Dragonfly by their side was great, especially since she could fly, haute Couture could not touch her as easily as she did with the others. But, Ladybug knew they would have to find a way to defeat her without Dragonfly’s help. She was needed somewhere else, and fast. The mannequins were starting to attack the crowd that had gathered to see the battle, and Panda Rouge was in need of some assistance.

“Change of plans! Go and help Panda Rouge! We can’t have those things hurt anyone, and you’re the fastest of us. Go, and throw them either into the river, or throw them to where Queen Bee and the others are, understood?” -Ladybug ordered her.

“Got it. But, you be careful, okay? Remember, keep your head on the game!” -Dragonfly told her.

“I will.”

True to her word, Ladybug focused on the fight against Haute Couture, believing that she and her friends would be able to stop her. Coordinating them, she asked Volpina, Grizzly and Louve to combine their attacks, to counter her on all fronts. They could not let her even breathe for a second. Still, their battle was about to end abruptly, when one of the mannequins jumped over the heroes and informed its mistress about the location where Amélie Dufayel was. Haute Couture was tired of fighting the kids, and decided that before she killed them, she could take a break from it and destroy Amélie.  

“So, that’s where they are, huh?” -Haute Couture said. –“I’m quite sorry, but I’m afraid our playtime is over. I have a place I need to be.” -she smiled malevolently, thinking of what she was going to do to her former boss, once she grabbed her.


	14. Tower Assault

After being informed by one of her diabolical mannequins of the whereabouts of Amélie Dufayel, Haute Couture decided to take a break from fighting the Miraculous Team, and pursue her real objective, to kill Amélie Dufayel. Though she had made a deal with Hawk Moth to kill them in exchange for the power to kill her, her one true objective was always to kill her former boss. She did not really care about the Miraculous Team… that was Hawk Moth’s problem, not hers.

“You’re not going anywhere!” -Volpina said.

“Oh, yes I am…” -Haute Couture shot at her. Using her powers, she sent a swarm of sharp knitting needles flying in the direction of the heroes, who were forced to throw themselves into the ground to avoid them.  

With the four of them down, she ordered the nearby mannequins to make their way to the Eiffel Tower, and start climbing it. According to them, there were a few members of the Miraculous Team guarding her, and another man, which they identified as Gabriel Agreste. Not that it mattered, she would just kill them as well. She had not taken three steps in the tower’s direction, when she felt a jolt of energy spreading through her body. This cramped her muscles, making it impossible for her to move. And then, she heard Hawk Moth’s voice in her mind.

“ _Where do you think you’re going?!_ ” -the villain asked her.

“I’m going to kill Amélie Dufayel.” -Haute Couture answered him.

“ _Not before you kill Ladybug and the others, and bring me their miraculouses! Have you forgotten that that was our deal?!_ ” -Hawk Moth asked her with a menacing voice.

“Don’t worry about it, I’ll do what you told me, as soon as that hag is dead. And besides, there are a few of these kids guarding her. I’ll kill them before I kill her, just to make you happy!” –she told Hawk Moth.

Hearing her say those words, and the tone she spoke them, Hawk Moth thought to jolt her once more, to show her that she could not speak to him like that. But, he reconsidered, thinking that her idea was not as bad as he thought. If there were some of the infernal brats guarding Amélie Dufayel, then in order to get to her, she would have to kill them. Ignoring his previous thoughts, he decided to let her do as she pleased.

“ _Very well, but don’t fail me!_ ” -Hawk Moth exclaimed, ending the telepathic conversation.

As the telepathic link was broken, Haute Couture headed towards the Eiffel Tower, when she was once again stopped. This time, it was Ladybug with her yo-yo that blocked her way. The leader of the Miraculous Team was not going to let her through.

“You heard her, you’re not going anywhere!”

“And who’s going to stop me?” -she asked them. –“I read that you were tough, but I guess I’m just too much for you to handle.”

“We’re tough enough to handle someone like you.” -Ladybug told her, as she placed herself in a fighting stance, wielding her yo-yo in her right hand. –“And believe me when I tell you that you shall not pass us!”

“Oh, so cute… you’re trying to be your team’s Gandalf, aren’t you?” -Haute Couture laughed maniacally, when she stopped and spoke with Ladybug with a cold and menacing voice. –“Get out of my way, girly, or I’ll kill you right where you stand, instead of later…”

“No! I’m not moving!” -Ladybug tole her, looking her in the eyes.

“And neither are we!” -Louve Grise said, as she, Grizzly Bear and Volpina joined Ladybug’s side.   

* * *

Having been observing the battle from their safe spot, Jade Turtle and the others knew that something was wrong, when they noticed the diabolical mannequins abandoning what they were doing, to start making their way up the tower. All of those that had been put out of commission by their friends had risen and were back at it again. It did not take them more than a couple of seconds to understand that Haute Couture had sent them to get Amélie Dufayel and Chat’s dad. 

“They’re coming up!” -Forest Doe exclaimed, pointing to a few of the mannequins that were climbing the tower’s feet.

“No doubt, after these two.” -Arachnid added.

“Well, then what are we waiting for? Let’s get started! We chose this place because it’s easily defended.” -Jade Turtle said. –“What are your orders, boss?” -he asked Chat.

“My orders?” -Chat said.

“Yeah, when Ladybug isn’t here, you give the orders, Chat, or have you forgotten about it?” -Jade Turtle told his friend.

“B-But I…” -Chat stuttered, not knowing what to say. At the time when Ladybug had decided to make him her second in command, he felt honoured by her choice and thought that it was a good idea. But now, he was not so sure of it. Having his dad being one of the targets of those things was making him incredibly nervous, affecting his train of thought. –“ _Calm down, okay? Just remember, if you seem nervous, the others will also get nervous. Now, take a deep breath, calm yourself down, and then, think of what to do next._ ” -he thought to himself, as he emptied his mind and then, focused on the situation that lied in front of him. –“Okay, let’s see… they’re coming up really fast. We have to make them go down… but how?”

“You better come up with a plan and fast, because they’re coming up really fast!” -Arachnid warned him, as he looked down.

“Too bad none of us can fly…” -Jade Turtle said.

“I got it!” –Chat Noir exclaimed. He just had a plan so crazy, but so crazy, that it would have work. –“Okay, let see, Doe, you start shooting down as many as you can with your arrows. Turtle, you get some more shields up around our guests, in case those things manage to get up here. Arachnid, you and I are going to do a stunt that it will either gives the upper hand on this situation, or turn me into a spot on the pavement. “

“What are you thinking? I don’t really like the way you said the last part of that sentence.”

“Trust me, I know what I’m doing.” -Chat told him, with an impish smile on his face.

While Forest Doe and Jade Turtle did as they had been told, Chat Noir and Arachnid got ready for the crazy stunt Chat was talking about. His idea involved Arachnid wrapping his lasso around Chat’s waist, drop him a couple of meters and then swing him from left to right like a clock’s pendulum. When he told Arachnid what he had in mind, Arachnid practically called him insane. They had never done anything like it before, and Arachnid was worried what would happen if he accidently dropped Chat. Still, the feline hero told him that everything would be fine. Once the spider hero wrapped his lasso around Chat’s waist and then started to descend him until he was about 30 meters from the ground. Taking a deep breath, Chat started to swing, gaining balance with each swing. And just like he had predicted, he was able to use both of his staff and his special attack on the mannequins, which began to drop like flies. Still, he had to be careful not to use his attack on the tower. He did not know what would happen if he accidentally ‘catclysmized” the tower. 

“Drop me another two or three meters, Arachnid! I’m going to try and get those over there!”

“O-Okay… just don’t swing too hard. I don’t want to scrape you off the floor!” -he warned Chat, as he dropped him a few more feet.  

“Perfect!” -Chat said, as he rocked forward, feeling the wind caressing his face and hair. –“Oh no you don’t! Cataclysm!!!” -he exclaimed, as he applied his special attack on two more of Haute Couture’s mannequins, who dropped to the ground. –“Another two down! Many more to go!”   

* * *

Up in the air, the helicopter of TVi channel was covering the events as they occurred. And inside, was TVi’s best reporter, Nadja Charnack. On that day, she was wearing an indigo blazer over a white shirt and matching skirt. Just like it happened when Gargantua showed up, she was excited for the chance to interview the Miraculous Team, hoping that this time, they would stick long enough for her to get some additional information on them.

“This is Nadja Charnack, reporting from the air. If you just tuned in, another bizarre attack to our fair city is taking place, right here at the Champ de Mars.” -she reported to the camera. –“There has been no official word on what is going on, but from the looks of it, this looks like another attack from the mysterious Hawk Moth. Although he himself has not been spotted until now, the Miraculous Team has been fighting a mysterious blue-skinned woman that attacked the Paris Fashion Week event, as well as some kind of living mannequin creatures… as we can see now, the mannequins are climbing up the Eiffel Tower. We’re going to try and get closer and see why they’re doing it, ladies and gentlemen.” Nadja said, as she signalled her pilot to get them closer to the tower.

Flying a little lower than what regulations allowed them, the helicopter got as close to the tower as possible, so Nadja’s cameraman could get a few good close-ups of the mannequins climbing the tower.

“As you can see, the living mannequin-like creatures are climbing the tower, on their way to the first level where it seems that part of the Miraculous Team has settled camp… I can’t see exactly who they are, but it seems that inside two of Jade Turtle’s energy spheres are two people. Could they be protecting these people from those creatures, as well as the blue-skinned woman that seems to be giving them the orders?” -Nadja talked to the camera. –“And, I must applaud Chat Noir and Arachnid for their idea. It is highly unconventional, but it also seems to be extremely effective… And, I’m getting information that more members of the police force have been tasked to create a perimeter around Champ de Mars, all the way to the Place du Trocadero… watch out!!!”

The helicopter got so close to the tower that the mannequins feeling threatened, began to fire all kinds of cutting objects at it. One of them, a knife, was thrown with enough strength to break the cockpit’s window, and scaring everyone aboard the flying device.

“Get us out of here!” -Nadja told the pilot. –“I want this story, but I don’t want to be part of it.” -she thought to herself, when she noticed the camera was still on. –“As you can see, things are getting a little too dangerous for us here, so we’re going to keep a safe distance. But do not worry; TVi will continue to bring you coverage of this intense battle. I’m Nadja Charnack, and now, back to the studio.”   

* * *

Seeing the mannequins all leaving them to persuade another objective, Queen Bee and the others wondered what was going on. They also noticed that the ones that were attacking both the police and the crowd had also ceased their attack on them, and were all heading towards the Eiffel Tower. This prompted Dragonfly and Panda Rouge to join them.

“What’s going on?” -Panda Rouge asked, as he and Dragonfly stopped in front of them.  

“I think they’re heading to where Chat and other have taken his dad and Miss Dufayel.” -Antelope said.

“If that’s so, then we have to go and help them! Look!” -Corbaeu Noire said, as she pointed to Chat, who was still hanging in the air, with Arachnid’s lasso wrapped around his waist. –“Either he thinks he has 9 lives, or he’s gone completely bonkers!”

“Time’s a wastin! Let’s go help them!”

“No wait, we can’t all go and leave Ladybug and the others to stop haute Couture by themselves.” -Dragonfly said. –“I suggest that two of us go help Chat and the others, while the rest tries to stop Haute Couture. And, let me point out that the two who go help them up there can fly, because at the rate those things are climbing the tower, they’ll need someone who can move through the air quite fast.”

“Someone like you?” -Antelope raised his eyebrow at her.

“Well, I can fly, so it’s a possibility. But, I’m not saying I’m the best choice for the job… _though being the fastest of us in the air, makes me one of the obvious choices._ ” -Dragonfly muttered the last part to herself.

“I suggest that you and Corbeau go and help them. From those of us who can fly, you’re the fastest, and Corbeau’s shadow powers can be of some help, while dealing with those creeps.” -Flamingo told them     

“I’m with her. It’s the obvious choice.” -Queen Bee told them. It did not take the others long to also agree with that decision.

“Okay, go help Ladybug and the others. We’ll deal with those mannequin creeps and help them Chat and the others.” -Dragonfly said, as she shot herself into the air, followed by Corbeau Noire.  

Running to where Ladybug and the rest of their friends were fighting Haute Couture, Queen Bee and her group were ready to put an end to the mad fashion designer. As they got nearer, they saw that their friends were looking exhausted. They too were a little run-down after fighting all those zombie mannequins, while trying to get everyone outside of the event’s tent; but when compared to their friends and teammates, they looked as fresh as daisies. Not wasting a minute, they all joined the others, surprising Haute Couture for a moment.

“Need a little help?

“I wouldn’t mind a little bit.” -Ladybug sighed.

“You guys better step back for a couple of minutes, and let us take care of this hag!” -Queen Bee told her.

“Who are you calling hag, girly?!”

“You, obviously, or don’t tell me that aside from being ugly and without a sense of style, you’re also dumb?” -Queen Bee mocked her. Her plan was to make her lose her patience, as well as her focus, thus giving them a better chance to knock her out.

“You’re going to regret saying that.” -Haute Couture told her.

“Yeah, yeah, where have I heard that one before?” -the bee heroine kept mocking her, as she threw her trompo into the ground, and created a small tornado. –“But enough chit-chat! Let’s finish this!”

Taking the lead, Queen Bee took control of the operation from Ladybug. Normally, she would feel offended and upset by the blonde doing something like that, without asking her. But the blue-haired heroine was so tired and needed a break, that she hardly minded her giving the orders for a bit. Volpina, Louve Grise and Grizzly Bear also stepped back for a little, to regain their energy back. While they did this, the fight went on.  

As to confuse her, Flamingo used her special ability and produced several copies of herself, which engaged Haute Couture in battle. At first, she made 10 copies of herself, but sensing they were not enough, the blonde created another 10, which gave Haute Couture more than she bargained for. Moving as if they were all one, Flamingo and her copies, not only were able to block most of the villainess’ attacks, but it also gave the others the time and the opportunity to come up with the perfect counterattack. Still, Haute Couture was not impressed by any of the things they tried against her She too had a few tricks up her sleeve, and wasted no time in using them. Shooting measuring tapes from her hands, she tried to strangle her attackers with them, but failed miserably. They were just too fast for her.

Antelope himself used his super speed to land a good couple of punches on Haute Couture, who, just like it happened with Reptile, never saw them coming. But, soon, they too began to show the first signs of exhaustion, and that led Ladybug and the others, who had managed to catch their breath, to join their teammates in battle.

Having 8 heroes attacking her from all sides, was stressing Haute Couture, who just wanted to get rid of them and continue her way to the Eiffel Tower, where a certain someone was waiting for her to finish what she had started. Every time she managed take one down, another one stood in her way, giving the one that was down, enough time to get back on its feet. Finally, she reached a breaking point, where she could not bear to see any one of them anymore.    

“That’s it! I’ve had enough of you brats!!!!!” -Haute Couture yelled at them. Focusing, her eyes began to glow red, as she prepared herself to attack once more.

Evoking all the hatred she had inside of her heart, Haute Couture decided to play a card that she herself did not know she had to play. Using powers, she began to ravel what was left of the tent near them, and amassed the string into several yarns at an incredible speed. Then, using her powers once more, she weaved it into a red and blue fabric, which she then used to wrap the heroes in. One by one, and at an incredible speed, every last one of the members was wrapped up like a mummy, including Flamingo’s multiple copies, that disappeared when she lost her concentration. After being wrapped up like that, they just fell on their faces, and started rolling to their left and right, trying to release themselves. They tried to release from her grasp, but it was no use. The more they struggled to get free, the tighter they became. It felt as if the fabric had a mind of its own, wrapping itself around them, preventing them from moving a single muscle.    

Happy with the result from her unexpected power, Haute Couture smiled, while looking at Ladybug and the others, lying on the floor, unable to move. They were as helpless as a fly on a spider’s web. If she wanted to, she could tighten the fabric in which they were wrapped to the point of slowly crushing their bones and their organs, squeezing the life out of them, very slowly. But, to her, they were minor nuisance that could be taken care of later… her prize awaited at her, at the Eiffel Tower, and she was not going to wait another second to have it.   

“Don’t go anywhere… I’ll be back for you, later.” -Haute Couture said, as she left them, heading towards the tower.

Seeing the heroes down, the police officers that had been observing the battle from a safe distance, not knowing if they should or not interfere, decided to take their best shot at the villainess. They did not really believe in the possibility of defeating her, but, if they could buy the heroes some time, they had to try it. Pulling out their guns and tasers, they tried to hit her, but Haute Couture took care of them easily.  

“How pathetic… your primitive guns can’t even scratch me, let alone, stop me.” -she laughed evilly, as she left them lying on the grass, their moves restrained by the pairs of scissors that pierced their uniforms and nailed them to the ground.   

While the law enforcements tried their best to get out of that predicament, the heroes also tried to get out of theirs, but it looked like it was going to be easier said than done.

“Great! Now we look like mummies!” -Flamingo said, as she tried to roll to the side. The last thing she wanted was to eat grass.

“No, we look like them, and at this rate, we’re going to feel like how it’s going to be a mummy for the rest of eternity… I can barely move!” -Louve Grise declared.

“Well, at least she had the decency of wrapping us in quality silk.” -Queen Bee said, as the delicate silk touched her left cheek. –“It feels nice.”

“Who cares about that?! We’ve to get out of here!” -Volpina exclaimed, as she tried to move her arms.

“I’m trying, but this silk is too strong! She must have used some trick to make it this resistant!” –Panda Rouge said.

“Too bad you can’t draw yourself out of this one, am I right?” -Ladybug joked about it, trying not to show just how worried she was about the situation they were in.  

“How could I have gotten captured that easily? I’m the fastest thing alive!” -Antelope cried out.

“Stop your whining!” -Queen Bee told him. –“the only thing fast about you, is your mouth!” -she insulted him.

“Hey, guys, enough! Things are already bad, we don’t need sarcasm or insults to even make it worse, okay?” -Ladybug told them both, breaking up the fight.   

“We’ve got to get out of here, one way or another! The others need us!” -Grizzly Bear yelled at the other. The truth was, he was worried about the others, especially Forest Doe.

* * *

While Ladybug and the others tried to come up with a way to get out of the tight jam Haute Couture had left them in, the rest of the Miraculous Team kept fighting the army of diabolical mannequins created by the villainess, as they climbed the Eiffel Tower, looking for Amélie Dufayel. Though Dragonfly and Corbeau Noire managed to even things in their favour, the mannequins just kept trying to go up the tower, no mattered how many times they threw them off it. The creatures did not seem to get tired not one bit, while the heroes were starting to exhaust themselves. They could not go on like that, and Chat knew it. They had to get out of there and rethink their strategy.   

“We’ve got to get them out of here!” -Chat told Arachnid, who was still holding him in the air.

“What?! What did you say?!” -Arachnid asked him. The noise the mannequins were making was now incredibly high, making it hard for him to understand what the black feline was saying.

“I said… doesn’t matter, pull me up!!!” -Chat yelled at him, who heard him this time. As Arachnid hoisted him back up, he was forced to use his staff to knock down a couple of mannequins who grabbed him, and were trying to pull him down with them. –“Get off me, you creeps!”

After climbing the ledge, Chat who was feeling a little dizzy, dropped on the floor, his legs a little wobbly. Jade Turtle, who had just thrown another of the mannequins off the ledge, checked on his buddy, to see if he was alright.

“We’ve got to get out here… these things just won’t give up.” -Chat told him.

“But where do you suppose we go? Up?” -Jade Turtle asked him.

“We could go, but then what? They’d just keep coming after us, and I don’t know about you, but I’m starting to get tired of knocking these guys down, so they just can come back up.” -Chat Noir said. –“I thought that having Corbeau helping down there, and Dragonfly up here would give us the advantage, but they’re just too many…” -he admitted, as he got up on his feet.

“You guys, might want to decide that quickly, because we got even more company coming!” -Forest Doe said, as she pointed to the lawn, where Haute Couture was. Corbeau Noire, who was down on the ground, using her shadow powers to keep as many of the mannequins as she could from climbing up the tower, had seen her approaching, and was getting ready to fight her.

Before she could say anything, or do anything, Haute Couture told her.

“Get out of my way… I’m not in the mood to play with you now.” -she warned her, but Corbeau Noire did not move. –“Get out of the way, or I’ll take care of you, just like I took care of your friends back then.”

“What did you do to them?!”

“If you don’t get out of my way, you’ll find out in a minute.” -she smirked.

She had not even finished talking, when Corbeau Noire jumped on her and punched her right in the face. She did not know what that hag had done to the others, but she was not going to stand there and let her laugh about it. Punching her as hard as she could, Corbeau saw herself being wrapped in measuring tapes that Haute Couture shot against her, wrapping her like a mummy. Struggling to get free, Corbeau could only watch as Haute Couture walked away from her; but not without ordering some of her mannequins to attack her.

Seeing her in trouble, Dragonfly dove as fast as she could and went to help her. Landing near her teammate, she wasted no time in taking out the mannequins that were about to make fish fillets out of Corbeau Noire. Before they could get back on their feet, she kneeled at her side, and said:

“Hold on, I’m going to get you out of here!” -Dragonfly told her friend, as she tried to rip the measuring tapes that were holding her. –“These are a little hard to rip… hang on, I’m going to use my frisbee.

Using it, she sliced the measuring tapes with ease, releasing Corbeau Noire, who felt relieved to be free from them. Taking a deep breath, she thanked Dragonfly.

“Thanks…”

“Don’t mention it. Are you alright?” -the pink-haired heroine asked her friend.

“I’ll be fine. She said she did something to the others.” -Corbeau Noire told her friend, her voice revealing how worried she was. Secretly, she was worried that something really bad could have happened to Flamingo, her best friend.  

“Don’t worry, they’re tough, just like we are. They can handle themselves.” -Dragonfly told her. She had every confidence in the other half of the team. –“Now, come on. We got a mad woman to stop.” -she said, as the two of them took to the sky like rockets.      

Having Haute Couture there, and no sign of Ladybug or the others, made Chat Noir fear the worse. Unfortunately, neither he nor the others had the time to think about it. They had to move, and fast, before she got there.

“That’s it, we’ve got to get them out of here!” -Chat Noir said –“She’s not going to stop until she gets the two of them, and we can’t let her do that.”

“But where do we take them?” -Forest Doe asked him, as she shot another of her arrows at a mannequin who was climbing the ledge.

“Don’t really know, but we can’t keep them here any longer.” -Chat said, as he looked around, looking for an alternative. –“I know! Head to the Trocadero! It’s close, but at the same time, it’s far from that woman’s reach.”

“Do you really think it’s a good idea? I mean, we shouldn’t split up even more. Do you think that’s what Ladybug would want us to do that?” -Arachnid asked him. –“And, just for the record, I’m not putting your judgement in question, okay? I’m just saying.”

“I don’t know, really, but she’s not here now, and that Haute Couture is heading here. We don’t have a minute to lose.” -Chat Noir declared. –“She knows they’re up here, and she’s not going to stop until she gets her hands on them. Arachnid, lasso them just like you did before. We’re going to get them out of here!”

“Okay… but we still need someone to carry them out of here.” -Arachnid said, as he readied his lasso for the task in hand.

“Leave that to me… Dragonfly! Corbeau Noire! One of you, get over here, now! -Forest Doe called them out. It was Dragonfly who answered the call, while Corbeau kept fighting the mannequins, pulling them off the tower and throwing them off it. Landing next to Forest Doe, she asked:

“What’s the stitch?”

“You got to get them out of here.” -Chat Noir said, as he checked to see if Arachnid had already completed the task he had been given.

“And where do I take them?” -Dragonfly asked him.

“To the Place du Trocadero.” -he told her. –“And the faster, the better.”

“Alright, but I’m starting to feel like a bus, always carrying people around.” -she joked, trying to calm herself down. She was already stressed enough as it was.  

Suddenly, a figure passed right in front of them, hitting one of the booths that were on the first level, and then fell to the ground. It was Corbeau Noire. She had been thrown by Haute Couture, who was already there, smiling wickedly at the heroes, as she saw the energy spheres where Amélie Dufayel and Gabriel Agreste had been placed by Jade Turtle. Seeing her there, Chat Noir knew exactly what was going to happen, if they did not hurry.   

“Go! We’ll buy you some time!” -Chat Noir exclaimed, as he and the others readied themselves to fight Haute Couture. Even Corbeau Noire, who was feeling like crap after that nasty experience, got up and joined them.


	15. Biting the Bullet

Hearing Chat Noir, Dragonfly wasted no time in grabbing the rope that held the two spheres, hoisting them in the air, with the intention of getting them out of there. Seeing what she was attempting to do, Haute Couture conjured a few dozen pairs of scissors, aimed at them. Luckily, as always, Jade Turtle was ready for her and wasted no time in conjuring up a large shield, that blocked their path, providing Dragonfly with a safe exit.   

“Your fight is with us!” -Forest Doe said.

“Nothing’s going to stop me from having my revenge, not even you or your friends, little doe!” -Haute Couture snapped at her. –“Now, get out of my way, or you die where you stand!”

“Oh, I’m shaking in my boots.” -Corbeau Noire told her. Though she was a little hurt after being thrown at a booth and then falling on the ground, her sarcastic vein remained intact.

“I’m going to skin you all alive, and then use your skins to make myself a coat.”

“That’s a nice idea, but I think someone else already tried it, Cruella de Vil.” -Chat Noir joked.

“You’ll be the first one, kitty cat!”

“Bring it on!” -Chat said, as he extended his staff, ready to kick her into submission.

“Attack them!” -Haute Couture yelled at her mannequins, who wasted no time in doing as they were told.

Soon, a battle of almost epic proportions began. A battle between several of the Miraculous Team members and Haute Couture’s diabolical mannequin creatures. The heroes, though exhausted, did not back down. They were going to buy enough time for Dragonfly to get out of there with Amélie Dufayel and Chat’s dad. As she made her way out of there, the dragonfly heroine could not help but to feel that she should stay behind and help them, instead of just running with the two fashion designers… still, she had been given a direct order, and she was going to obey it. Her friends were counting on her to take those two to a safe place, away from that crazy jumble.  

* * *

Meanwhile, back on the ground, Ladybug and the others were still trying to get out of the tight jam that Haute Couture had left them in. The more they struggled to loosen it, the tighter the fabric that held them became.  

“Has anyone managed to break free, even just a little bit?” -Ladybug asked the others. She herself had not been able to even loosen the thing an inch.

“No, and the more I try, the tighter this thing gets.” -Volpina told her.

“We’ll never get out of this one!” -Flamingo declared. She had tried to use her powers to create copies of her that could free them, but for some reason, the fabric prevented her from doing such a thing, possibly because her copies sprung from her, and not having space to move, prevented her from multiplying herself. On top of it, she was starting to panic with all that.

“Don’t say that! We need to stay focused!” -Antelope told her. –“We can’t panic, or it’ll be worse, trust me. Just take a deep breath, and think of happy thoughts.”

“O-Okay, I will.” -Flamingo did, as she was told.

“Didn’t take you for the psychology kind of guy.” -Grizzly Bear whispered at him.

“And I’m not, but the last thing we need is for her to panic. We already have enough problems as it is.” -Antelope whispered back at his friend. 

“If only there was a way for us to just teleport out of these things. I’m starting to feel like one of those rugs you see on a carpet store in Morocco.” -Queen Bee declared. Even though she liked the touch of silk against her skin, that was just too much.

Hearing her say that, Ladybug had the idea of using her good luck ability to see if there was something near them, that could help them get out of that sticky situation. Using it, everything she saw assumed a grey tone, except for three things, which were shining brightly to her eyes. And the three things were Louve Grise, Queen Bee and a fire hydrant. Initially, she did not understand how could her two friends and a fire hydrant get them out of that predicament. But then, it hit her, and a plan quickly unfolded in her mind. It was so simple and so elementary, that she even cursed herself for not having thought about it sooner.   

“Maybe we don’t have to teleport! Maybe we just need to shrink… or better yet, you have to shrink.” -Ladybug declared.

“Shrink? Oh, you’re right, I forgot about my power!” -Queen Bee exclaimed. –“But, even if I shrink, you guys will still be stuck.” -she told her.

“Trust me, I’ve got a plan. Just shrink to a size that enables you to get out and once you’re out, I’ll tell you what to do next. Hurry!” -Ladybug told her.

Concentrating, Queen Bee used her powers to shrink her size. Feeling herself getting tinier and tinier, it was a matter of seconds before she could once more move. When she finally stopped shrinking, she was the size of an action figure. With that size, it was easy for her to get out of that fabric wrapper in which she was trapped by Haute Couture. Already outside, she returned to her usual size, sighing in relief for seeing herself out of that pickle.

“Okay, I’m free.” -Queen Bee said, as she turned her head to Ladybug. –“Now what?”

“Now, I need you to soak us wet.”

“What?!” -the blonde said, puzzled by what Ladybug had just told her.

“You need to use that fire hydrant over there and soak us with water. We need the silk to be as wet as possible.”

“Are you mental?! When wet, silk becomes even stronger! What’s the point of making it even stronger?”

“I hate to say this, girl, but she’s right. Haven’t you ever watched that scene from Shanghai Noon with Owen Wilson and Jackie Chan, when they get out of prison?” -Volpina asked her.

“Of course, I did, but that’s not the point. When wet, silk becomes incredibly strong, but when frozen, it’s incredibly frail, and that’s exactly what we’re going to do.” -she smiled.

“I get it! You’re going to have Louve here to freeze us.” -Grizzly Bear said, realizing what their leader’s plan was.

“Exactly! Now, hurry up. The sooner we get wet, the sooner she can freeze the wet silk and we can get back in action.” -Ladybug told Queen Bee.

Still not fully convinced about Ladybug’s idea, Queen Bee made her way to the fire hydrant that was near them. Using her strength, she ripped off one of the hydrant’s clapper valves, letting the pressured water run freely.   

“Hope you like cold water.” -she said, as she forcibly turned the hydrant towards her friends, wetting them. In a matter of seconds, they were absolutely drenched.

Though they were wrapped like mummies, and it was already the middle of October, that cold water felt so nice, that they all thanked to themselves for Ladybug’s idea. Once she saw they were already wet enough, she said:

“Okay, that’s enough, girl!” -she signalled Queen Bee, who quickly crunched the hydrant’s valve, stopping the water. –“Okay, Louve, it’s up to you now.”

Hearing her, Louve Grise took a deep breath and blew a gust of icy wind that slowly, but steadily, froze the fabric that held them. As she did this, the others felt the temperature around them drop quickly. Some of them, like Volpina and even Panda Rouge, started to chatter their teeth, trying not to freeze. When she finally stopped, they felt that the fabric that enveloped them felt a little loose. Taking that as a sign, they used their strength to break free from it, and just like Ladybug had planned, they were able to rip it into shreds, freeing themselves.   

“Well, that was refreshing.” -panda Rouge said, as he got up on his feet.

“Thank God for your ice powers.” -Volpina told Louve.

“Well, no one can say that I don’t have a Mentos’ breath.” -Louve Grise joked, as she shook off a couple of frozen silk pieces that were still stuck to her uniform.  

“That’s our Louve for us.” -Queen Bee said, as she hugged her best friend. –“You did a great job.”

“Well, she wasn’t the only one. You also did great.” -Ladybug complimented Queen Bee on her efforts.

“Uh, not that I don’t like people being given credit for something awesome they did, but we got to go.” -Grizzly Bear told them. He was growing worried about the others, especially Forest Doe.

“He’s right, they probably need us.” -Flamingo agreed.

“He sure is. We have to move.” -Ladybug said.

“Then, hang on just a couple of seconds, while I give us something to get there a little faster.” -Panda Rouge said, as he began to draw. Working as fast as he could, he designed a pair of cool looking rolling blades for each one of them. The only one that was left out of it was Antelope, given that he already had superhuman speed. -“They may not be as cool looking as the ones that Dragonfly has, but believe me that they are way faster than hers.” -he told them. –“Didn’t make a pair for you, because…”

“It’s okay, I totally get it. Besides, I can be pretty quick without those.” -Antelope told him, as the others put them on.

* * *

With the others covering her, Dragonfly tried to take both Dufayel and Agreste out of there. Her destination, Place du Trocadero. Chat Noir had chosen it because it was near where they were, but at the same time, it was out of Haute Couture’s reach. Carrying them over the air, she expected that flight to be a calm one, given the situation they were all in. Unfortunately, she had no such luck. She had just exited the Eiffel Tower’s first level, when a bunch of the mannequins assembled themselves into a ladder and jumped on spheres. This caused Amélie Dufayel to start yelling on top of her lungs, begging for help.  

“Get away! Get away, you, ugly things!”

The extra weight from those mannequins, forced Dragonfly to fly a little lower than she wanted. Thinking to herself, she tried to come up with a way to get rid of them. She knew that as long as they were inside the protective spheres, Amélie and Gabriel would be alright. Still, she did not want to risk it, and tried to think of a way safe way to get rid of the mannequins who hitched a ride, while Amélie Dufayel continued to scream as loud as she could, though Dragonfly could not hear her.   

“I’m going to die, I’m going to die!” -she kept screaming, as one of the mannequins smashed its hand against the sphere, trying to find a way to break it. All the while, Gabriel Agreste kept snoring in the other sphere. Even with everything it was going on, Amélie Dufayel asked herself how could her rival stay fainted, when they were about to be ripped to pieces by those creepy monstrosities that were then trying to force her to land or to drop the spheres.

“Oh, no you don’t! I’m not going to let you do that, you hear me?!” -Dragonfly said, as she kicked one of the mannequins, who was trying to get to her.

But, suddenly, another mannequin, who had remained hidden, while holding to one of the loose ends of the rope, gained balance and jumped onto her back. Wasting no time, the creature dug its claws into Dragonfly’s back. It did not rip her suit, but it caused her an excruciating amount of pain. Enough pain to force her to let go of the rope that held the spheres. She still tried to grab it in mid-air, but it was no use. Spinning out of control, she hit the ground pretty hard, throwing parts of the lawn to the side.

At the same time, feeling herself descending at high speed, Amélie screamed on top of her lungs for help. When they hit the ground, she felt like a tank had hit her. To make matters worse, the spheres began to roll down the lawn, making her feel like she was a hamster in a ball. As for Gabriel Agreste, the impact on the ground woke him up, but only for a few seconds. When his sphere began to roll, he slipped and hit his head, becoming unconscious once more. The spheres kept rolling down the street, until they finally hit two SWAT trucks that were part of a police barrier that had been set there. Having seen what happened to Dragonfly, half of the officers went to check on her, while the other half approached the spheres, not knowing how to proceed. Looking through it, some of them recognized both people, and wondered how they had ended up inside those spheres. Gabriel Agreste remained unconscious, but Amélie Dufayel was crying out for help; but because of Jade Turtle, who made it impossible for anyone to hear her inside the sphere, the officers could not hear her, much less understand what she was saying. Among the officers that were examining the spheres was Sabrina’s dad, Lieutenant Roger Raincomprix, who was overseeing that barrier.      

“What do you think she’s saying, lieutenant?” -one of the officers asked.

“I don’t know. But after what just happened, she must be terrified.” -Lieutenant Raincomprix said, as he picked up his walkie-talkie and asked -“How’s our flying hero? Over.”

“Pretty good, given the fall, lieutenant. Over” -he answered over the walkie-talkie.

“Is she conscious?”

“No, she’s out. Should we call an ambulance, or… what the?”

“Repeat what you just said, over! What’s going on, over?”

The answer was the mannequins responsible for Dragonfly’s crash into the ground showed up and quickly attacked the officers, turning them into mannequins as well. Seeing Dragonfly down on the ground like that, offered them the opportunity to destroy her once and for all. But, their instinct drew them towards the other officers…  

* * *

As they headed towards the Eiffel Tower to help the rest of the team, Ladybug and the rest of the group saw what was happening to Dragonfly. This prompted the scarlet heroine to make a decision that would affect how the outcome of the battle against Haute Couture would turn out, though she did not know yet.

“Was that Dragonfly?!” -Ladybug asked.  

“It had to be her.” -Queen Bee said. –“And she was carrying the spheres with Amélie Dufayel and Chat’s dad.”

“What are you talking about?” -Ladybug asked her. Like Louve Grise, Volpina and Grizzly Bear, she too did not know what had happened while they were fighting haute Couture.

“Long story short, after I knocked Reptile to the ground, Chat thought it was a good idea to put them in energy spheres and take them to a safe place, where Haute Couture couldn’t get to them.” -Antelope explained to her.

“I don’t see the others.” -Flamingo said.

“They’re probably still up on the tower fighting those things and Haute Couture as well, while Dragonfly took the spheres to a new location.”  

“I hate to say this, but we have to split up again!” -Ladybug said

“I don’t like that.” -Louve Grise said.

“Me neither.” -Panda Rouge confessed. –“We should just stick together and for the best.”

“I like it as much as you do, but we don’t have a choice. Half of us have to go and help the others up there, while the other half has to go and help Dragonfly.” -Ladybug told them. She really did not want to split up, but there was no other way.

“So, who goes where?” -Volpina asked.

Making a quick assessment of the situation, she said:

“Okay, let’s see… Volpina, you, Louve, Antelope and I are going to see if Dragonfly is alright. The rest, get up there and help the others. We’ll join you as soon as we see if Dragonfly is alright, as well as Miss Dufayel and Monsieur Agreste.”  

“Right!” -they exclaimed in chorus.

* * *

Seeing their fellow brothers in arms being turned into those things, scared the officers. And seeing them, then, running towards them, forced them to take out their weapons to defend themselves. But, as it happened with their colleagues near the Paris Fashion event, bullets did not stop the mannequins. Not seeing another option, Lieutenant Raincomprix ordered his men to retreat.

“Retreat, now!”

Jumping like jumping jacks, the diabolical mannequins who until a few moments ago had been human, jumped on the officers that were defending that barrier, with the intent to turn them into mannequins as well. Some of them were lucky and escaped, but others were caught in their claws and in a matter of seconds, they too were part of Haute Couture’s zombie mannequin army. As for Lieutenant Raincomprix, he was nearly caught by one of the mannequins; but being slightly faster than it, he managed to open the door of his police car, and use it as a weapon against the creature, knocking it down. He thought he was safe, when another sneaked up behind him. Sabrina’s dad was about to be touched and then turned into one of those mannequins, when a gust of freezing wind stopped the creature cold, just a few inches from his face. Looking over his left shoulder, he saw Louve Grise smiling at him. 

“Don’t take this the wrong way, but you really have to be more careful. Next time, I might not be around to save you.” –Louve told her dad, with a serious, yet still caring voice.

“T-Thank you.” -he said, realizing just how lucky he had been.  

“You and the other officers might want to get out of here. We can handle this, lieutenant.” -she said, as Volpina and herself kicked another mannequin into the ground.  

“Y-Yes… I think we should.” -Lt. Raincomprix said, when he turned his head around. –“H-How do you know my name?”

“I read it on your name pin.” -Louve Grise smiled. –“ _Dad, you’re so silly._ ” -she thought to herself.  –“Now, hurry, before those things come back.”

“Right…” -he began to run on the opposite direction. –“For some strange reason, that girl reminds me of my little Sabrina.” -he mused to himself.

While Louve Grise and Volpina checked on the spheres where Amélie Dufayel and Gabriel Agreste were being held, Ladybug and Antelope checked on Dragonfly. When they got to where she was, the mannequins that were responsible for her fault had already scattered somewhere else. She was still fainted, and they did not know if she was breathing or not. Gently turning her around, Ladybug placed her hand over he chest to feel her heart beating. Feeling it beating, she knew she was still alive. Then, she placed her other hand over her mouth to see if she was breathing. Dragonfly’s breathing was quite weak, and that scared both Ladybug and Antelope.

“Are you okay? Come on, Dragonfly, wake up!” -Ladybug said.

“ _Damn it, Alix, wake up!_ ” -Antelope thought to himself. –“ _Please, wake up! You must! If not, who am I going to argue with?_ ”

Shaking her as hard as she could, Dragonfly ended up waking up, coughing and grunting like crazy. Her whole body felt like it had been run over by a couple of dozen trucks. She still felt pain where the mannequin had stabbed her, and when she tried to breath, it hurt.

“Jeez, are you okay?” -Antelope asked her. –“You scared the crap out of us!”

“I.-I’m fine.” -Dragonfly told him, as she slowly touched her arms, legs and chest, to see if she had any broken bones. It did not take long for her to see that she had nothing broken, though she was in a lot of pain. 

“Are you alright? Did you break anything?”

“I-I’m fine… I don’t think I broke anything.” -Dragonfly tried to get up on her feet. Like she said, she did not have anything broken; but that did not mean she was not in excruciating pain right then. When she tried to get up, she felt woozy and ended up having to clang on to Ladybug.   

“Are you sure? That was a really nasty fall… were you trying to beat my last fall?” -Antelope asked her.

“I’m fine, don’t worry.” -Dragonfly said. Her pride and stubbornness were not going to let her admit that she was in pain in front of either him or Ladybug.

“Too bad Jade Turtle isn’t here right now. He could fix you up in a jiffy with his healing powers” -Ladybug told her, as she helped her out of the small ditch she made when was forced to land.

“Don’t worry about that… I just need to a couple of minutes, and I’ll be ready for action again.”

“Maybe I should find you a place where you can rest a bit.” -Antelope suggested.    

 “Or maybe you should be worrying about yourself, instead of your girlfriend, boy.” -a voice was heard. It was Reptile.

“And I thought I’d tied you up like a turkey… guess I need to practice my knots.”

“I’ll tell you what you need to do… you need to start saying your prayers, because I’m going to gut you down like a fish, for what you did to me!” -Reptile said, pointing his knife at him.

“You really think you can take us? It’s three against one… well, two and a half, actually. But we just need to call in Volpina and Louve Grise over there, and you’ll be in even bigger trouble than you are right now.” -Antelope kept mocking him.

But as Reptile was about to sneer at them, something was thrown at the heroes’ feet. And that something was none other than Grizzly Bear, wrapped up in a black and white fabric, like a Mexican burrito. A few seconds later, the rest of the heroes were also thrown at Ladybug’s feet, all of them unconscious, as Haute Couture approached them, surrounded by an army of mannequins. Seeing her there, two things went by Ladybug’s mind… how did she manage to defeat her friends, and how did she manage to get from where she was, without any of them noticing it.

“Nine down, only five more to go…” -Haute Couture told them. –“Don’t worry, they aren’t dead… yet.”

“Get her out of here.” -Ladybug told Antelope.

“What?!” -Antelope asked her, puzzled.

“Get her out of here. She’s not in any condition to fight.” -the scarlet heroine said.

“I’m not going anywhere, and neither is he. We’re not leaving you to fight these two all by yourself.” -Dragonfly told her. She was in no shape to fight right then, but that was not going to stop her from

“I’m not asking you, I’m ordering you. Volpina and Louve can help me.” -Ladybug told him. –“Get her out, and then come back. Signal Louve and Volpina to hurry up.” -she ordered him.

 “Okay, I’ll be back as soon as I leave her in a safe place!” –he exclaimed, as he grabbed Dragonfly and got ready to leave there.

“Let me go! Antelope, I demand you to drop me!” -she protested, as she tried to force him to drop her.

“Sorry, not going to happen.” -Antelope said, speeding away from there, leaving Ladybug alone with the villains.

“So, you’re going to try and face me and him, all by yourself, is that it?” -Haute Couture asked Ladybug, who did not answer her back. –“I do admit, that though you are wearing one of the ugliest outfits I’ve ever seen, you are brave… just like your friends there. But bravery won’t be enough to defeat me, or lizard man here.”

“I’m not just a pretty face.” -Ladybug told her, as she felt someone approaching her from behind. It was Volpina and Louve Grise. After Antelope told them what was going on, Louve decided to use her ice powers and covered the spheres with a thick ice layer to protect them. That way, they could join her friend in battle, without needing to worry about Amélie and Monsieur Agreste’s safety.

“We’ve got your back.” -Louve Grise said.

“What happened to the others?” -Volpina asked, as she looked at Forest Doe and Arachnid, who were both by her right.

“The same thing that will happen to you, before I decide to kill you… but don’t worry. I’ll only kill you after I kill that hag and that Agreste man. They are the real prize.”

“You’ll have to go through us.” -Volpina told her, pointing her flute-staff at the villains.

“Don’t worry about it. It’s what I intend to do… and my loyal creatures are going to help me.” -Haute Couture smirked, as the hundreds of mannequins behind her began to become restless

“ _This is where we make out last stand… one way or another, she’s going down._ ” -she thought to herself.


	16. Operation Mummy

Antelope knew he had to hurry up. With most of the team out of action, the remaining members that were still able to fight would have to give everything they had to stop that mad woman. If not, she would succeed in killing both Amélie Dufayel and Chat’s dad, and with them all out of the way, there would be nothing to stop Hawk Moth and his dastardly Akumas from taking over the city, and eventually, the rest of the world. But before he could join Ladybug, Louve Grise and Volpina in battle, he had to find a place for Dragonfly to rest a bit. Looking around, he decided that the best place for her to rest, was the top of the Palais de Chaillot. Going upwards, he only stopped when they reached the rooftop. As he placed Dragonfly on the floor, he gave himself a second to take a breath. It had been a crazy race, and he needed a couple of seconds to gain his breath back.

Taking a look back at the Champ de Mars, he saw what was waiting for him, and he could not let his friends wait another second. Now that Dragonfly was safe, he had to go back.

“Okay, just stay here and rest.” -Antelope told her. –“If you get lonely, just wave at the people that are down there.” -he said, pointing out to the crowd of people that had gathered to see the action. No matter how much they asked them, it seemed the more dangerous the situation, the more people wanted to see it with their own eyes.

“I still say… that I should have stayed and fight.” -Dragonfly protested, as she tried to hide the fact that she was in pain.

“You’re no good for us if you end up hurting yourself even more. Besides, the boss lady gave you an order, and you know what that means.”

“I know, but that doesn’t mean I have to agree with that order.” -Dragonfly told him. Sating on the floor, she tried not to think about just how wounded she was feeling right then. –“Too bad Jade Turtle was captured.”

“Yeah, he could have fixed you up with his powers.” -Antelope sighed. –“Anyways, you stay here, I’ll come back for you after that lunatic has been defeated.”

As much as she wanted to say it otherwise, in her current condition, she would only get in the way, and make things more difficult for them.

“Okay, go, but hurry up defeating her. I don’t want to get stuck here all day.” -Dragonfly told her.

“You got it. Gotta jet!” –he exclaimed.

* * *

While Antelope made his way back to the battlefield, things were starting to heat up. Haute Couture had ordered her mannequins to grab Ladybug and the others, while she made her way to where the spheres where Amelie and Gabriel were. Seeing them covered in a thick layer of ice, she ordered some of the mannequins to run towards them and to start chipping the ice away. As for Reptile, he went one on-one against Louve Grise. He wanted to take care of Antelope himself, but since he had split, he decided to kill time until he returned, by slicing and dicing another hero.  

“Come on, is that the best you can do?”

“You haven’t seen nothing yet, doggy girl!”

“Don’t call me that!” -Louve warned him. –“Or else, I’ll turn you into a popsicle!”

“You think you scare me with that act?”

“I don’t need to think I can scare trash like you! I wipe the floor with trash like you, everyday!” -Louve shot at him, as she waved her fan and shot a wave of sharp icicles at the lizard man.   

“Tough talk, but can you actually do that?!”

“Watch me!” -Louve exclaimed, blowing a gust of icy wind at him.

* * *

Seeing them in a tight jam, Ladybug tried to think of a way to buy them some time to come up with a plan to take Haute Couture down, once and for all. They were clearly outnumbered and needed a strategy… furthermore, they needed to get their teammates out of those fabric cocoons and wake them up, to see if they were alright. Ideas showed up in her mind, as she battled a couple of mannequins, who were trying to stab her to death. Luckily for her, her yo-yo was the best weapon she could ask to take down those things.

“ _No… that won’t work either… we could try that, but, it wouldn’t work either._ ” -the scarlet heroine told herself.  

They were out in the open, and there was nowhere to hide; and that’s when it hit Ladybug. They needed to come up with a way to hide themselves, and she knew just how to do it. Signalling Volpina, the fox heroine approached her, after kicking a mannequin that was throwing bursts of needles against her. Ladybug quickly explained her what she had in mind, and Volpina wasted no time in using her illusionary powers to make it happen. Before everyone’s eyes, she created a massive labyrinth that covered the whole area of the Champ de Mars. When she finished it, Volpina herself was amazed with her own capabilities. She never expected to be able to create such a complex and large illusion. With Haute Couture, the mannequins, Reptile and themselves trapped in the labyrinth, that would give them time to come up with a better plan.

Still, the first thing the two of them did was to check on the rest of the team, who was fainted. Dragging them, they placed them all in a circle to see if they could get them out of those cocoons.

“I wish Flamingo here wasn’t out right now… she could give us a hand, or a wing, taking care of those creatures with her copies.” -Volpina said, as she kneeled the pink heroine and tried to rip open the fabric cocoon she was in.

“Unfortunately, she can’t… come on, Chat, wake up!” -Ladybug said as she tried to rip the cocoon, while slapping him on the face, in the hopes that he would wake up, or at least react to it. –“They’re not waking up.” -she said, with a nervous voice.

“Maybe we’ve got to get them out of these things first. Call me crazy, but they might be different from the ones where we were wrapped in before.” -Volpina suggested. –“They look different, so they might even have something in them that prevents them from waking up.”

“You might be right, but how are we going to get them out of them?” -Ladybug used every bit of strength she still had in her to rip the fabric, but was not able to do it.

“Why don’t you try and cut them with your yo-yo?” -Volpina suggested to her.

“It’s worth a shot.” -she shrugged her shoulders, while taking her yo-yo and starting to spin it. –“If this thing usually cuts through stone and solid steel, maybe it can cut through this.”

Spinning it even faster, she got ready to cut through the fabric of Chat’s cocoon, when she heard her friend exclaiming:

“Looks like Haute Couture’s mannequins are starting to understand they can just go over and through the walls.” -Volpina said. –“You better make that fast, before they get in here.”     

“Got it!” -Ladybug said, as she sliced with relative ease the cocoon Chat was in, releasing him. Once he was free, she proceeded to the next, while Volpina made sure that no more mannequins entered through the hole the other one had made.

* * *

The labyrinth had managed to slow down the mannequins and Haute Couture from reaching the spheres holding Amélie Dufayel and Gabriel Agreste, but still, it was only a matter of time before they got there and the diabolical creatures began to chip away the ice covering the spheres. Amélie herself was a bundle of nerves right then, and being trapped in a sphere surrounded by ice was not helping. All she wanted was for those creatures and her former assistant to leave her alone. In her mind, she had not done anything to deserve what was happening to her.

“Help! Get me out of here! Help!” -she kept screaming, hoping for someone to hear her, not realizing the more she screamed, the easier was for the mannequins to know where she was.

At the same time, Gabriel Agreste woke up, and he wondered what was really going on, as his memory was still a little bit fuzzy.

“W-What’s going on?” -Gabriel asked as he finally regained his senses. Seeing himself inside that sphere made him wonder if he was dreaming or hallucinating. –“Where are am I, and how did I get here?” -he asked himself, before starting to yell for help. –“Hello! Is anyone there?!”

Just like it happened with Amélie, Gabriel’s screams made it easier for the diabolical mannequins to find their way through the labyrinth, and reach the section of it where the spheres were. Once they arrived, they immediately started to chip down the ice using both their claws and their sharp weapons. The noise done by them scared both Amélie and Gabriel, who wondered what was going on. They did not know what exactly was happening, but they could both guess it was certainly nothing good.  

“ _They’re coming to get me! They’re coming to get me! I’m going to be one of those creatures’ supper… that is, if Nina doesn’t kill me herself…_ ” -Amélie thought to herself, panicking, as the chipping noise became louder and louder.

* * *

After leaving Dragonfly to rest, Antelope ran as fast as he could back to help his friends. In his mind, he kept replaying a quote from one of his favourite movies Mulan… “A single grain of rice can tip the scale. One man may be the difference between victory and defeat.”. Right then, he felt that if he did not get there on time to help Ladybug and the others, they would fail because they did not have the manpower to complete their mission. Running as fast as he could back to the Champ de Mars, he stopped upon seeing what laid in front of him.

“Whoa, am I seeing things?!” -Antelope said, as he checked out the huge labyrinth that Volpina had created. –“ _This wasn’t here a moment ago_.” -he thought to himself. –“ _This has got to be either Volpina’s doing or Haute Couture’s, and I’m betting my money it was Volpina, because I can’t see any reason for that mad woman to create something like this… still, I got to enter in it and help the girls out._ ”

Running as fast as lightning, he circled around the labyrinth in a record time, looking for a way in, he concluded that there was no entrance, so he had to improvise. Running against the wall, he began to climb it at an incredible speed, like he had seen so many cartoon and videogame characters doing over the years. Once on top, he quickly saw why that thing had been created… to gain time. Now, all he had to do was find their friends. Going down, he quickly reached the ground and began speeding through the labyrinth looking for his friends. At the speed he was going, every single mannequin that he encountered in his way ended up doing a backflip in the air, as he ran over them. When he reached a small open area, Antelope saw none other than Reptile fighting his friend, Louve Grise, who was giving him a run for his money. Interrupting them, he said with a cocky voice, as he leaned against one of the walls:   

“Looking for me, iguana breath?”

“As a matter of fact, yes...” -Reptile smiled gruesomely at Antelope, upon seeing him.  

“Thanks for keeping him company, while I was away. Find Ladybug and Volpina, and help them out. I can take care of this idiot.”

“You got it!” -Louve answered as she readied herself to get out of there, when Reptile threw his knife at her, missing her by a couple of inches.

“She’s not going anywhere…” -Reptile said, as he made another knife appear on his hand, when he felt something against his stomach, making drop on his knees. It took him a couple of seconds to realize that it had been Antelope who hit him.

“Go, now!” -Antelope said, as she disappeared through one of the several paths.

“Y-You brat… you’re going to r-regret doing that to me…”

“Do you ever shut up? Because if you don’t, let me just tell you that that talk is getting old really fast, like lightning fast.” -Antelope kept mocking him.

“I’m going to love to gut you like a fish and then use your intestines to strangle you with them.” -Reptile said, as he attacked him.

“If you can catch me, of course…” -Antelope said, as he avoided the attack, though he noticed Reptile almost caught him. Either the villain was getting faster, or he was getting slower. It did not take him long to understand that he too was starting to wear out.

“I intend to, you brat!” -Reptile warned him.

* * *

At the same time, as Louve Grise tried to find Ladybug and Volpina, and Antelope settled a few scores with Reptile, Haute Couture was starting to lose her patience. Walking around through those passages, she soon came to the undeniable conclusion that she was inside a labyrinth. How did that labyrinth showed up, she did not know; of course, knowing that the Miraculous Team was out there to stop her, she felt the only explanation for the labyrinth’s appearance was work from one of the heroes.  

“There must be a way to get out of here…” -she told herself. –“… and I already wasted too much time navigating this place. It’s time for me to get out of here…”

Focusing her energy, she fired a burst of needles which such potency that it crumbled the wall in front of her. Smiling, she only had to keep destroying walls until she reached the place where Amélie Dufayel was. Using her psychic link to the mannequins she had ordered to get the spheres out of the ice, she just had to track them, while destroying every wall that was in her way.     

“I’m coming for you, Amelie. Just wait until I get my hands on you… I’ll peel your skin out of your muscles, and then, I’ll peel those from your bones.” -she smirked, as she imagined herself doing what she had said.

* * *

“Tell me you managed to cut them all loose!” -Volpina asked Ladybug, as she punched another mannequin. The hole in the wall became larger, as more and more mannequins tried to enter. The fox heroine wanted to create another illusion to help them out fighting those creatures, but if she did that, or lost her concentration, the labyrinth would disappear and they would be absolutely exposed, not to mention that Haute Couture would have an open road to where the spheres with Amélie and Gabriel were.

“Almost! Only one left!” -Ladybug said, as she cut to shreds the cocoon holding Jade Turtle.    

“Okay, now try to wake them up…” -Volpina said, as she kicked a mannequin that was attacking her with a pair of scissors. –“… and hurry! I don’t know how long I can keep doing this, all by myself!” -she exclaimed. Fighting those creatures, while trying her best to keep that illusion from dissipating into mist was draining her fast.

With one last flip of the wrist, Ladybug shredded the cocoon holding Jade Turtle. All of her friends were free, and now she had to wake them up. She hoped that now that they were out of those cocoons, that they would wake up, just like Volpina suggested. And once more, she was right; once out of those cocoons, all the heroes began to regain consciousness. Slowly opening their eyes, the first thing they saw was Ladybug looking at them.

“W-What?” -Corbeau Noire said.

“Welcome back.” -Ladybug smiled at her.

“W-What happened? The last thing I remember was to be wrapped by that witch and then… nothing.” -Forest Doe said.

“Doesn’t matter. All that matter is that all of you are okay.” -Ladybug told them. –“I know you guys must be really disoriented and all, but we have a job to finish, and we can’t do it without you.” -she said.

“That might be a little difficult… I don’t know about you guys, but I don’t have any more energy.” -Grizzly Bear said. He felt his body depleted of energy, his muscles heavying on him.

“He ain’t the only one. I can hardly stand on my feet.” -Flamingo said, her legs feeling wobbly and her head real woozy.

“Volpina was right. Those cocoons were definitely different from the ones she wrapped us in before…” -Ladybug thought to herself.  –“Is everyone feeling like that.” -she asked, to which everyone waved their head… everyone, except for one person, Jade Turtle.

“I’m feeling a little woozy, but I think I still have enough strength in me for one last round.” -the turtle hero said.

When she heard that, ladybug asked herself how could that be. If the others were all out of juice, then, why was Jade Turtle feeling with enough strength to go on? And then, it hit her.

“Of course, that’s it!” -she exclaimed. –“Your healing powers! Somehow, they must have prevented those cocoons from sucking all your energy! Think you can help the others by healing them up? Maybe it will give them back some of their energy.”

“Sure, I can try it.” -the turtle hero waved his head.

“Ladybug, girl! I need some help here!” -Volpina yelled for help.

“Coming!” -she told her. –“Listen, try to get them back on their feet, while I help her out, okay?”

“Gotcha!” -Jade Turtle said, as he turned to Queen Bee, and used his healing powers on her. He had only used his healing powers a couple of times during training and was not sure if he could heal them all, but still, he had to give it a shot.       

As he worked his magic, Ladybug tried to help Volpina knocking down every single mannequin that tried to enter through the wall. Instead of only one hole, there were now several holes in the wall, from where mannequins tried to crawl in. The whole scenario looked more and more like an old zombie flick, where the heroes make their last stand against a horde of flesh-eating zombies

“Can’t you reinforce, or maybe close the holes in the wall?” -Ladybug asked her friend.

“Not without making this labyrinth disappear. It’s taking me all of my mental strength just to have it here.”

“Your powers’ suck.” -Ladybug joked about it.     

“Tell me about it!” -Volpina giggled. It was nice of her friend to help her take her mind of what was going on, so she would not feel even more stressed than she already was. 

As this went on, Jade Turtle kept healing his friends. Aside from healing a some of their cuts and bruises, he managed to give them some of their energy back. It was not much, but at least now they could stand up on their feet, without risking falling from exhaustion. Still, he told them to not to move right away.

He had just finished healing his friends as best as he could, when something came through the wall, and hit Volpina and Ladybug, throwing them into the ground. It was Antelope and Reptile, who kept going against one another. They were both wore down, but their stubbornness in letting the other be the winner kept them going. Unfortunately, their stubbornness, combined with the sudden entrance through the wall, which threw the two heroines into the ground, caused an unexpected result… it broke Volpina’s concentration, and made the whole labyrinth disappear. Without the labyrinth, the mannequins were now free to both roam around the place, and to also attack the heroes. Luckily, Jade Turtle used his powers to create huge shield-dome to protect them all from the nasty creatures. As he did this, Antelope and Reptile kept fighting each other.

“S-Stand still…” -Reptile said, breathing heavily.

“I-I don’t think so…” -Antelope told him, also with a heavy breathing. You could say he was running on fumes.

“W-When I get you….”

“I know, I know, you’re going to gut me like a fish and use my intestines to strangle me. You already said that like a few hundred times, since we started this fight, you know that?” -Antelope mocked him.

“I’m s-starting to think that I’ll just cut out your tongue, throw it at a p-pack of hungry mutts and then, stab you in the heart, for being so annoying!” -Reptile threatened him

Already tired of all those threats, Ladybug, who had just got up on her feet, decided to end it. Throwing her yo-yo, she disarmed Reptile, after which, she tied him up like Christmas present.

“Sorry, but I just can’t hear another syllable coming from your mouth, you snake.”

“You really think you can just…” –Reptile declared, when he was gagged and tied up, using bits of the cocoons that were holding the heroes up until a few moments ago, courtesy of Panda Rouge, who used his powers to recycle the fabric and turn them into a rope.  

“I thought he would never shut up.” -Chat Noir smirked.

“No need to thank me. He was starting to get on our nerves too.” -Panda Rouge waved at them.

“Yeah, but he’s the least of our problems… look!” -Volpina told them.

Looking through the shield Jade Turtle created to protect them from the diabolical mannequins, and over the nasty creatures, they saw two things. One was a group of mannequins chipping away the ice that was covering the spheres where Amélie and Gabriel were, and the other, was their friend Louve Grise, fighting alone against Haute Couture. As they watched her, Louve was hit by Haute Couture’s attacks twice, showing that she was almost without energy, worrying them.

“Oh no… we’ve got to help her! If not, she’s going to be turned into shish kebab!” -Queen Bee exclaimed, clearly worried about her friend.

“But we can’t just attack her without a plan. We’re too exhausted to attack her like crazies, hoping for the best.” -Arachnid said.

“It’s time we use our brains, instead of just plain old brute force and come up with an idea to take that woman down, once and for all.” –Chat Noir declared.

“Hmmm… I think I might have an idea.” -Ladybug smiled.  

* * *

With the labyrinth gone, there was nothing stopping Haute Couture from reaching her objective. Nothing, except for Louve Grise. Without realizing it, the wolf heroine had lost herself in the labyrinth and to her surprise, when the labyrinth’s walls dissipated into smoke, she saw herself face to face with the villainess.

“Hold it right there!”

“You can’t be serious.” -Haute Couture said. –“You’re going to try and stop me, all by yourself, little girl?”

“Don’t call me little girl, you hear me?!” -Louve Grise told her with a serious voice, trying to sound tougher than she looked. –“I may look young, but that doesn’t mean I can’t kick your butt!”

“Don’t make me laugh…” –Haute Couture said, as she conjured a couple of dozen pairs of scissors and threw them at Louve Grise.

Louve tried her best to keep her from moving closer to the spheres, which would be dug up from the ice layer she had covered them in, thanks to a group of mannequins, who were doing a pretty good job getting rid of the ice. She knew just how much Haute Couture wanted to get to those spheres, and that was just one more reason for her to put up a fight against her. She did not know if the villainess would be able to break the spheres, but she knew she was not going to let her even try it. Blowing another gust of icy wind, Louve Grise felt her body starting to give in. As she tried to jump over the villainess, to try and kick her in the back, she realized that her body would not take much longer. Her mind told her to keep fighting, but her body was telling her to stop before she collapsed.

“You can’t win, no matter how many tricks you have in your repertoire.” -Haute Couture shot at Louve Grise, who had missed her, and was now on her knees, trying to gather the strength to get up and continue the fight.

“Then, what about we show you some tricks in our repertoires?! Would you like that instead?!” -a voice was heard. It was Chat Noire, along with the rest of the team.

Seeing them, Louve Grise nearly started to cry out of happiness. Still, she did not such a thing. Trying to get up, she had someone helping her, her best friend, Queen Bee, who wasted no time in carrying her to where Jade Turtle was, so he could heal her and give her back some of her strength. But Haute Couture was anything but happy to see them. They were starting to be a thorn on her side, and she was not going to let them spoil her fun. Ordering her mannequins to get the ice off the spheres faster, she then turned to the heroes and with a sinister look in her eyes.

“You kids really must have a death wish…” -Haute Couture to said. –“So be it… if the only way to kill those two over there without being interrupted is to kill you first, I don’t see any problems in it.” -she stated.

“Time to take this witch down! Now!” -Ladybug exclaimed, signalling her teammates.

Their plan was rather simple. Using his magical pencil Panda Rouge unravelled every last bit of the shredded cocoons that Haute Couture had trapped them in, and then used it to create a fabric roll, with which they were going to wrap the villainess in. Antelope, Chat Noir and Grizzly Bear grabbed one of the ends and stretched it, while Corbeau Noire, Flamingo and Queen Bee grabbed the other, also stretching it. Wasting no time, both trios started to run around Haute Couture, each going in opposite directions, wrapping the fabric around her. The villainess, guessing what they were trying to do, still tried to escape by attacking them, but Forest Doe, Volpina and Ladybug blocked her attacks, and forced her to stand still.

“That won’t work! I’ll rip that fabric to shreds, myself!” -Haute Couture yelled at them. –“Besides, it’s pattern is absolutely ghastly! I’ll be doing the world a favour by destroying it!”

But it was too late. Once the fabric touched Haute Couture, it held on to her. It no time, the akumatized woman was wrapped just like a mummy. Trying to move, she was unable to do so.

“Let me go!!!!”    

“Forgive me the pun, but, I think this is a wrap.” -Chat Noir said, making the others smile.

“Wait until I get out of here!”

“Sorry, but I don’t think you’ll be going anywhere from here.” -Arachnid told her. The way she was wrapped, even if she wanted to, she would not be able to

“So, who will do the honours and put her out of commission?” -Ladybug asked them. –“I don’t mind doing it, but…”

Before anyone could decide, something decided for them. Or in this case, that something, was someone. Flying at a tremendous speed, on a downward path, Dragonfly hit Haute Couture directly on the head. She could not stand seeing the others risking their lives to save the day, while she stayed on the sidelines. Even wounded and with pains, she took to the sky and decided to go and help them. Still, when she was already airborne, she began to feel a lacerating pain on her back, which forced her to go down faster than she wanted to. The pain was so intense, that she had to make an appeal to all her strengths, just not to faint in mid-air. She was going to crash on the floor, just like before… but this time, she would at least try to take someone with her. Pointing her body in the direction of Haute Couture, she hoped for the best and speeded up.  

“Here goes nothing… lights out, witch!!!” -Dragonfly exclaimed, as she hit Haute Couture in the head.  

The hit made her whirl in the air, and for a second, no one knew where she was going to land. Thankfully, when they saw where she was going to land, Antelope’s speed allowed him to race towards it and catch her, before she hit the ground. Huffing and puffing, Antelope said, as he looked Dragonfly in the eyes.     

“What were you trying to prove?! You could have hurt yourself!” -Antelope yelled, worried.

“Blame it… on the fact that I’m too stubborn for my own good… and… for having the song… Holding out for a Hero playing in my head, right now…” -Dragonfly said, trying not to faint.

“You really are crazy…” -Antelope smirked.

“H-Hell, yeah…”

With Haute Couture down and unconscious, all the mannequins stopped moving. Without their mistress to give them orders, they just stood there, without reaction. As for the villainess, the shock had been so great that the Akuma Butterfly sprung from her. Seeing it, Flamingo, who was closest to the fallen villainess decided to be the one to destroy the evil creature.

“No more evil-doings for you, you stupid Akuma butterfly!” -Flamingo said, as she watched the nasty creature created by hawk Moth, flapping its wings in front of her. –“Time to relinquish you from evil!” -she exclaimed, as she destroyed it with the tip of her cane.  


	17. A New Opportunity

With the Akuma butterfly destroyed, Haute Couture reverted to her real form, Nina Vincent, and the same happened with every last one of the mannequins, who went back to be just ordinary people. With the danger over, it was Ladybug’s turn to use her powers to make everything go back to the way it was. Materializing the Ampulla Amulet in her hands, the scarlet heroine used its power to put things as they were, before Haute Couture showed up. Everything that had been damaged or destroyed by them or by Haute Couture and her mannequins during the battle, went back to the way it was. On top of that, the spheres where Amélie Dufayel and Gabriel Agreste were, disappeared, releasing both fashion designers, who found themselves surrounded by a group of fainted people who had been mannequins just a few seconds before.  

Seeing them out of danger, Chat, followed by Volpina and Corbeau Noire, decided to check on them, while the rest of the team checked on Nina, who was starting to come to her senses. Jade Turtle, seeing Dragonfly holding out to Antelope, while trying to pretend she was not in pain, wasted no time and began to use his healing powers on her. The moment his hands began to glow, generating a translucent energy wave over her body, Dragonfly’s pains began to subside.

“Thanks…” -Dragonfly thanked her friend, as she began to feel her pains disappearing.

“Don’t mention it, but if I were you, I would not make sudden movements at least for a couple of days.” -Jade Turtle told her.

Nina tried to open her eyes, and she did, her head felt several sizes bigger, plus, her whole body ached, like she had been hit by a truck.  

“W-What happened?” -Nina asked, as she saw Ladybug and some other members of the Miraculous Team looking at her.

“You’ve been akumatized by Hawk Moth, but don’t worry, it’s over now. You’re back to normal, and every is okay.” -Ladybug said.

“Akumatized? Me?!” -Nina exclaimed, as she tried to grasp what had happened to her. –“B-But I thought it had been just a dream… or better yet, a nightmare…”

“It was no nightmare, believe us.” -Grizzly Bear told her.

“But it’s over now.” -Forest Doe said with a sweet voice, trying to tranquilize her.

“I didn’t hurt anyone, did I?” –Nina asked them. She was really afraid that she might have hurt someone, while being Haute Couture. Though her memory was really fuzzy from the experience, she remembered about going after her former boss, trying to kill her.  

“No, you didn’t.” –Ladybug told her.

“Except us… but, don’t worry, aside from a couple of bruises and scratches, were alright.” -Dragonfly said. She was feeling slightly better then, now that Jade Turtle had used his healing powers on her.

“Oh, I’m so sorry. Believe me, I didn’t want to…”

“Don’t worry, you were being controlled by Hawk Moth. There was no way you could have stopped yourself, even if you wanted to.” -Antelope said, when Dragonfly eyed him with a look that could have smitten him on the spot.

“You’re not helping.” -Dragonfly muttered to his ear.

“Sorry…” -he said.  

“Still, you don’t have to worry. It’s over now.” -Ladybug said, as she helped her getting up, while checking on her for any kind of injuries. –“You seem to be alright, but we would feel much better, if a doctor or at least a paramedic took a look at you.”

She noticed that in her hand, she was holding a bunch of pages with drawings in them. Looking at one of them, she thought that it was really pretty, unlike the outfits she had given people while she was Haute Couture. The design resembled some dresses she had seen a few years before in one of the many fashion magazines she bought. And like they say, curiosity killed the cat, Ladybug asked her:

“Those are yours?” -she asked, pointing to the papers in Nina’s hands.

“Y-Yes…” -she answered.

“They look really pretty.”

“Oh, thank you, but I don’t think they’re that good.”

“May I?” -Ladybug asked, as Nina handed them to her. Flipping the pages, she liked all of Nina’s designs. She secretly wished she would one day be able to design dresses as beautiful as those. -“Why would you say that? These look amazing, and I’m a bit of a fashion nerd.”

“Miss Dufayel, my former boss, she said they’re trash, and maybe she’s right… after all, she’s one of the best designers in the world. Who am I to say it otherwise?” -Nina sulked a bit.  

When she heard that, Ladybug felt that she had to say something. She knew that Amélie Dufayel was known for being extremely picky with the designs she chose for her clothes, but saying that Nina’s designs were trash, that was just plain rude and mean. No one, no matter how high or important, had the right to say such awful things to another person.   

“She may be one of the best fashion designers in the world, but that doesn’t mean she’s right about that.” -Ladybug told her. –“Just because she doesn’t like them, that doesn’t mean she can tell you that they’re trash… it’s not right do it.”

“But, what if she’s right? What if I really don’t have any talent?”

“Even if you don’t have talent, which you have, that doesn’t mean she can just insult you and your creations like that.” -Ladybug told her. –“It’s like they say, don’t do unto others what you don’t want others to do to you.”

The rest of the team had remained silent through that part of the conversation Ladybug was having with Nina, but hearing all of that, made some of them also

“She’s right, you know?” -Flamingo said.

“You can’t let someone tell you what you can’t or can’t do.” -Arachnid said.

“If you do that, then, you’ll never know what you can achieve.” -Louve Grise told her.

“I’m not the only one who thinks that, it seems.” -Ladybug smiled. –“If you believe in yourself and in your talent, without letting anyone tell you that you don’t have any talent, anything is possible.” -she said, as she told herself that that particular speech looked more like a speech given by a Disney Princess, than anything else. 

“Oh, look, the paramedics are coming…” -Queen Bee declared, as she saw a pair of paramedics coming to meet them.

“We have to be going now, but remember what I’ve told you, okay? Don’t let others say to you that you don’t have talent.” -Ladybug said, as the paramedics arrived to take her to be examined. 

“I will… thank you.” -Nina said.

As she saw was taken by the paramedics, Ladybug felt pretty good with herself about the things she told Nina. It made her remember a time when her friends cheered her up, because she lost a competition she worked so hard to sin, and felt her talent was not good enough. But, unlike Nina, she had friends who helped her see that losing that competition was not the end of the world. And now, somehow, someway, the universe had given her the chance to return the favour, and that made her feel good about herself.   

“That was quite philosophical from your part.” -Antelope said.

“Thanks, though you guys helped a little too.” -Ladybug declared. She just could not take full credit for what happened.

“It sounded a little like what a princess says in a Disney movie.” -Flamingo chuckled.

“That’s exactly what I was thinking!” -Ladybug exclaimed, chuckling as well.

“Uh-oh, we’ve got company!” -Panda Rouge warned them, as he saw the number of journalists and news reporters that were making their way to the scene.

“I don’t know about you, but I’m not in the mood for interviews today.” -Jade Turtle.

“Me neither.” -Forest Doe said.

“Shall we just go?” -Louve Grise asked the others.

“Let’s go grab Chat and the others, and get out of here.” -Flaming said.

Without any tall buildings around for them to climb on and disappear out of sight, the team had to come up with a quick way out of there. Seeing no other way, the ones that could fly, hoisted the ones that could not up in the air, and quickly flew away from there, on their way to meet Chat and the others, leaving the reporters who were eager to get a word from them, behind.  

“ _Hate to do that, since they’re just trying to do their job, but right now, I don’t think anyone of us is in the mood for interviews._ ” -Ladybug thought to herself, as she held on tight to Queen Bee’s left wrist.

Gabriel Agreste and Amelie Dufayel had been taken by a group of paramedics into separate ambulances to receive treatment. When Gabriel woke up, he saw Chat Noir, Volpina and Corbeau Noire looking at him, while the paramedics checked him for any serious injuries.

“M-My son… he’s…” -Gabriel said, still weak from the shock. 

“Mr. Agreste, please, try to stand still.” -the paramedic said, as he readied himself to check on fashion designer’s blood pressure.

“But, you don’t understand… my son and his friends, they are…”

“Don’t worry about it, Mr. Agreste. We’ll make sure to find them.” -Chat Noir told his dad.

“N-No… he was… back in the event… trailer…”

“Don’t worry. We’ll find them and tell them that you are here.” -Volpina said. –“In the meantime, try to stay calm and let these gentlemen do their work.”

“Make sure he’s alright, okay?” -Chat Noir told one of the paramedics.  

“Come on, Chat. We better go.” -Corbeau Noire said, as she pointed to their friends who were signalling them to come.

* * *

Not far from there, someone was not really happy about everything that was taking place. And that someone was Reptile. The Miraculous Team had left him behind, gagged and tied up like a Christmas goose. To get out, he had break his own wrist, which was painful, but he did not mind. Howling in pain, he ran out of there as fast as he could. Hiding in some bushes, he tried to catch his breath, as he saw what the heroes had done to his plan to destroy them.  

“ _Great… Haute Couture has been defeated, those kids are still alive and I’m sure that Hawk Moth is going to punish me for all this._ ” -he thought to himself.  

“You can bet your sorry behind that that’s what going to happen, Reptile.” -a voice was heard. Looking around, he saw no one, then, suddenly, Madame Romani was crouched in front of him, smiling evilly at the lizard man.

“What are you doing here?! And better yet, how did you get here?!”

“Actually, I’m not here… I’m just projecting myself into your mind; it’s a new power I discovered. It’s not exactly very dangerous, but it comes in handy.” -Madame Romani told him. –“I just wanted to tell you that the master is absolutely furious with what happened, and that when you come back to the lair, you better start begging for mercy, while apologizing in several different languages, because he’s going to make you go through Hell with the punishment he has in store for you.” -she kept smirking evilly.

“I’ll accept my punishment… and you, get out of my head!!!” -Reptile ordered her.

“Touchy… I’m just trying to be nice, that’s all…” -she told him.

“I don’t need your sympathy or niceness… scram!!!” -Reptile yelled at her. 

“Fine, I’ll go. But remember, I was only trying to warn you…” -Madame Romani said, as she disappeared.

“ _Those blasted kids… they ruined everything. And the worst of them was Antelope!_ ” -he thought to himself, as he checked to see if it was safe to get out. He was too weak to use his powers, and his real appearance would only call attention to him. –“ _But I’ll get him, next time. And when I do, I’m going to snap his neck like twig… but not before I gut him down like a fish!_ ”

Seeing an opportunity, he raced towards a nearby manhole and tried to lift the cover. It took him a couple of seconds longer than he wanted, but in the end, he managed to lift it, and just like a snake he slithered inside.

“ _That Antelope kid looked quite worried about that Dragonfly girl… maybe he likes her. And even if doesn’t, he clearly cared and worried about her. I might be able to use that to my advantage!_ ” -Reptile thought to himself. –“Perhaps the master won’t be so harsh on my punishment, if I tell him about this… then again, hawk Moth is not exactly known for his mercy. I’ll revenge on those kids, that I swear!” -he said, as he closed the manhole behind him.

* * *

Looking for a safe place to change back into their civilian identities right after the fight could be hard, given that anyone could show up and find out who they were. Thankfully, Ladybug had done her homework, and made a map of places where they could quickly hide and change back, without risking getting caught, and had memorized it for such occasions. Signalling her friends, she took them into a secluded work site, the very same she had used earlier that week, when delivering Adrien his homework. There, they would not be disturbed, and would be able to rest a little bit, before heading back to check on Chat’s dad.     

“That was some fighting…” -Ivan said, as he returned to normal.

“You guys, all of you, were terrific today.” -Marinette told them.

“So were you.” -Adrien told her.

“Oh, thanks Adrien…” -Marinette blushed, after hearing the blond complimenting her.

“He’s right, you rocked out there, girl.” -Alya said.  

“You sure did!” -Tikki said.

The kwamis were absolutely exhausted after such a battle too, and who could blame them? They poured all their essence into the heroes’ miraculouses in order to grant them the power to stop Haute Couture and her army of diabolical mannequins, not to mention Hawk Moth’s minion, Reptile. Still, as exhausted as they were, they still had the strength in them to tell the kids how proud of them they were.

“I’m really proud of you, kiddo!” -Mika exclaimed to Sabrina. –“You really showed that stupid lizard guy that your bite is worse than your bark.” -he declared, being really proud of her. –“Plus, you got to save your dad, again. He should feel really lucky in having you to always have his back.”

“Thanks…” -Sabrina blushed lightly.

“Wait! Reptile! We forgot about him!” -Max exclaimed, remembering about their enemy. –“At this hour, he probably managed to get away…”

“It is a shame that you forgot about him… but it doesn’t matter. He wasn’t the mission. You’ll get him next time.” -Ari told Max.

“He’s right. Besides, that shouldn’t stop you from admitting that you did a great job, guys. Everyone did an excellent job here, and we should know, after all, we were watching the whole thing from the front row.” -Trixx said. –“If the way you handled yourselves today, doesn’t mean you deserve to wear those miraculouses, I don’t know what will.” -she praised them.

“Yeah, come on, three cheers for our heroes!” -Plagg said.

“Hip Hip Hoorray!” -all the kwamis exclaimed. –“Hip Hip Hooray! Hip Hip Hoo…” -the last bit was not heard, because the kwamis’ voices failed them. The exhaustion was so great, that they were not even able to finish their cheering.

“Oh, you guys really are exhausted.” -Rose said, as she grabbed Flint. –“But don’t worry, nothing that a little snack won’t fix… oh, no. I forgot my bag back at the trailer.”

“Me too.” -Juleka admitted.

“We all did…” -Nino said.

“I guess you guys will just have to wait a little longer for that snack.” -Marinette told them, as she held Tikki in her hands.

“W-Well be fine, don’t worry.” -Tikki told her.

“But you guys better go back to where the action is taking place.” –Pin said, as Mylene grabbed him.

“Indeed. According to what Plagg has just told me, Adrien there promised his dad that he would be going looking for you all.” -Wayzz said.

“Then, there’s only one thing left to do.” -Adrien said. –“Let’s get out of here and make our way to where the paramedics took my dad to tranquilize him.”

“Lead the way, then.” -Alya told him, as she gently slid Trixx into her pocket.

* * *

It took them considerably more time to get to where the ambulance where Gabriel Agreste had been taken to receive medical treatment, because of the huge crowd that gathered around the Trocadéro garden. On the brighter side, that provided them with an excellent excuse for taking so long to get there. They had all agreed to tell Adrien’s dad that when Haute Couture started to tear apart everything in her way, that they had left the trailer and sought refuge in the nearby subway station, where they stayed until a police officer told them it was safe to come out.    

When they got near the place where the ambulances were, they saw themselves initially unable to approach them, because of a police barrier that it had been put out to keep the press away from the scene. Fortunately, Sabrina saw her dad and waved at him. Lieutenant Raincomprix, seeing his daughter, approached the group and asked them if they were alright

“We’re okay, dad. We’re just really worried about Adrien’s dad. We heard that he had been taken by the one that caused all this mess.” -Sabrina told her dad. –“Is it true?”

“Yes, pumpkin, it is. But he’s alright. Those superhero kids stopped the woman and saved him, as well as another woman that was with him.”

“Could you let us pass, dad? Or at least, let Adrien pass?” -Sabrina asked her dad.

“Well… I shouldn’t, but, go on…” -Lieutenant Raincomprix said, as he let them through.

“Thanks, dad.” -Sabrina smiled.

Passing by the other police officers, they made their way to the spot where the ambulances were. When they left, there were only a handful of them around, but now there were more than thirty different ambulances, where people were being treated. Luckily, it took them just a minute to find the one where Gabriel was. He was seated on the back of the ambulance, with a red blanket over his shoulders, while drinking what looked like coffee.

“Dad! Are you alright?!”

“A-Adrien…” -Gabriel said, as his son hugged him. –“I’m fine, don’t worry. But what about you… and your friends?” -he asked, as he saw Marinette and the rest approaching.

“Don’t worry, we’re okay too.” -Adrien said, after which he told them the tale that he and the rest of the gang came up with for the occasion. –“But what about you? What happened to you?”

Gabriel then told him and the others what he could remember of what happened to him, which was not much, because he spent most of his time unconscious inside the sphere Jade Turtle placed him in. If he had been awakened, he would certainly have an amazing tale to tell his son and his friends.

“It’s a good thing that the Miraculous Team managed to save you, Monsieur Agreste.” -Chloé said. –“Too bad we didn’t spot them. I would have loved to thank them.” -she said.

“Maybe another time, Chloé.” -Nino told her.

Suddenly, an ear-piercing shriek was heard, coming from another ambulance nearby. They all recognized the scream… it belonged to Amélie Dufayel. They had heard her scream so much during Haute Couture’s rampage, that it made it impossible for them not to identify it by heart. The reason why she screamed was because Nina, who had been given an all-clear bill of health by the paramedics, passed by the ambulance where Amélie was being checked and the fashion designer reacted the only way she could.

“YOU!!!!”

“Miss Dufayel…”

“You tried to kill me!!!” -Amélie Dufayel screamed at Nina.  

“But Miss Dufayel…” -Nina went on.

“And now you came to finish what you started, didn’t you?!” -Amélie Dufayel screamed. When one of the paramedics tried to tell her to calm herself down, she practically slapped him on the face. –“Keep your hands to yourself!! And you, you think you’re going to get away with it… well, then you’re deadly wrong!” -she yelled at Nina.

“But, Miss Dufayel…” -Nina tried to talk with her, but the fashion designer would not let her speak. She just wanted to tell her that she was sorry about what happened. Nina was angry at her because of the things she told her, but she never wanted to kill her.

“It was already bad enough that you did had to destroy my bestest dress for the show, but trying to kill me! That was the last straw! You’re finished! Like I said when I fired you, you’ll never work in the fashion world ever again! Not that it matters, because I’ll make sure that you spend the rest of your life behind bars, like the maniac you secretly are!!!”

All that yelling had attracted the attention of not only kids and Gabriel Agreste, as well as the attention of just about anyone that was circling around there. When they arrived and they saw the way Nina was being humiliated and threatened by the fashion designers, Marinette had to defend her, by saying what was going on her mind.  

“That’s enough!” -Marinette exclaimed to the fashion designer. –“Don’t you see that she’s already sorry for what happened? Plus, it’s not her fault she was turned into that creature. Don’t you have a heart?”

“And who are you to tell me those things, girly?!” -Amélie shot at her, offended by what she was told. –“Learn your place, before I decide to also sue you for pestering me!!” -she threatened Marinette, who was shocked to see just how awful and mean that woman was to anyone she felt was below her.  

“She’s my son’s friend, and she has more talent for fashion in her pinkie finger, than you in your whole body, Amélie.” -Gabriel Agreste said with a calm, yet stern voice, as he approached Marinette from behind. –“And she’s absolutely right. The poor girl isn’t responsible for what happened, and you’re accusing her like she was a common criminal.”

“Plus, she also has real talent… well, at least that’s what Ladybug and the rest of the Miraculous Team told us, when they were looking for Adrien and the rest of us.” -Marinette said.

Hearing that, Gabriel noticed the drawings in Nina’s hand and just like Marinette had, when she was wearing her Ladybug outfit, he immediately asked her if he could take a closer look at them. And just like it happened with the blue-haired girl, Gabriel was surprised with her talent… perhaps, not as much as Marinette had, given his experience in the fashion world, but even so, he instantly knew she was very talented. Her designs needed some work, but she showed great promise. With the right tutoring and advice, she could one day be a great designer and stylist.    

“You made these, yourself?” -Gabriel asked her.

“Y-Yes… I mean, yes, Monsieur Agreste, I made those.” -Nina answered quite nervously.

“Hmmm… they’re not bad. They need a little work, but I do see some promise on this… from what I’ve heard, she fired you, right?” -Gabriel asked her, to which Nina waved her head. –“Well, if she fired you, then, I’ll hire you. I’m always looking for talented designers to help me, and as one of my assistants, you’ll be working with me, while also be able to work on your own designs.”

“Y-You mean it?”

“Yes, and I never joke with these things.” -Gabriel smiled. –“So, will you accept my offer?”   

“Y-Yes! Thank you, Monsieur Agreste! Thank you!” -Nina exclaimed, absolutely thrilled.

“You! You, bourgeois swine!!! It’s not enough you steal from me the spotlight, you are also willing to employ that girl who tried to kill me and you, and nearly succeeded!” -Amélie Dufayel practically spat the words. –“You’re absolutely insane!”

“And you… you are someone incredibly unpleasant.” -Gabriel said with a calm and plain voice. He was not going to stoop to that woman’s level, by insulting her, not this time. –“And now, if you don’t mind, I’ll be leaving with my newest assistant, as well as my son and his friends. I have a show that needs my full attention.” -he said, as he walked away, followed by Nina and the whole gang.

“You think you’re so high and mighty, but you’re not, Agreste!” -Amélie Dufayel exclaimed at him. –“Everyone knows that my designs are way better than yours, and that the only thing that makes society itself say that you’re better than me, it’s because you’re a man, and I’m a woman!”   

She kept rambling and insulting Gabriel Agreste, as he walked away. After everything that went down that afternoon, he was not going to let that woman ruin the rest of the day, that was from being over. Grabbing his phone, he quickly called Nathalie to set things in motion.  

“That woman seriously needs psychiatric help…” -Nino told Adrien, who could not help but to chuckle.

“Tell me about it…” -Adrien said. –“The way she acts, maybe Hawk Moth should have akumatized her, instead of Nina.” -he whispered.

“Glad that didn’t happen… can you imagine what kind of akuma she would have turned into?” -Nino whispered at him.

“Let’s hope we never find out.” -Adrien chuckled.


	18. Life is a Runway

Heading back to the event, everything looked as if nothing had happened. Marinette and the others did not know if that was a good thing or a bad thing. For one, it was good that everything went back the way it was before Nina was turned into Haute Couture, but at the same time, it felt like all they had done to put things right, went unnoticed. Of course, this was not true. On the news and all over the Internet, everyone was talking about how the Miraculous Team had saved Paris from a mad woman, named Haute Couture by those who had been face to face with her and were interviewed. The Miraculous Blog was flooded with posts of people sending in photos of the action, and posts of people asking if someone had been able to get an interview with one of the heroes. Going through them in the VIP lounge, Alya was starting to get tired of opening and closing emails in her laptop, all of them asking either the same thing or bombarding them with pictures of the battle.   

“I can’t believe this…” -Alya said, as she checked her mail box. –“I think I’ve never got so many emails in one day.”

“Who would have guessed that this blog was going to be so famous?” -Mylene said, as she leaned against one of the couches in the room.

“I didn’t… I mean, I did want it to be one of the best and most accurate blogs about the team, but I never thought that it would become Miraculous central, if you catch my drift.” -Alya told her. –“Besides, I already lost count of how many people asked me if we received any videos featuring any of the heroes giving an interview after the battle… believe me, I stopped counting after the 50th person who asked that.”

“I’m starting to think that we should have stopped for a quick interview…” -Kim said.

“Next time we’ll give a proper one, both for the media, and for the blog.” -Nino told Kim. –“You want me to help you going through all those mails?” -he asked Alya, as he sat next to her.

“Sure, hot stuff.” -Alya winked at him.

Marinette could not help but to smile at the sight of how Nino and Alya behaved when around one another. They were clearly in love, and they were not afraid to show in front of anyone else. She too wished she would have someone who loved her back, just as much as Alya loved Nino and vice-versa; and for Marinette, that someone was Adrien. Giving vent to her imagination, it did not take long for her to imagine herself in a situation, where Adrien would place his arm around her, holding her tight against him, while whispering

“Marinette? Marinette?” -Tikki called her out from her purse. –“Marinette!!!”

“Uh, w-what?!”

“You were daydreaming again, weren’t you?” -Tikki asked her.

“Yeah, I was…” -Marinette admitted.

“About Adrien?”

“No!” -Marinette exclaimed. But then, Tikki raised an eyebrow, and the blue-haired girl had to admit the truth. –“Fine, I was, but don’t tell anyone…” -she whispered at her kwami.

“You know I won’t tell anyone.” -Tikki smiled at her. –“But, daydreaming all the time isn’t exactly healthy, you know?”

“I know, I know…”

“Then, why don’t you ask him out?”

“Right now?” -Marinette asked her.  

“Why not? I don’t see anything stopping you.” -Tikki smiled.

“But, but… I don’t know what to say. I didn’t prepare anything to tell him…”

“Marinette, stop.” -Tikki told her, between giggles. –“You don’t need to prepare anything. You just need to be yourself.” -she told Marinette.

“but what if I…”

“No buts, Marinette. Just think that everything is going to be alright, and it will go alright.” -Tikki told her. –“Come on, you go up against akumas who try to make mincemeat out of you without being afraid of them. If you can do that, then this will be a piece of cake for you.” -she smiled tenderly.

Marinette had heard that speech from Tikki more times than she could count by then, and as always, she was right. If she could lead her friends and teammates into battle to ensure that neither Hawk Moth nor his goons would conquer the city or the world, without a shred of fear in her heart and soul, then asking the boy she loved out on a date, should be as easy as pie.

“You’re right. I’m going to do it.” -Marinette said with a confident voice.

“You’re going to do what, Marinette?” -Juleka asked her.

“Hmmm… I’m going to ask Adrien if he… he wants to go out with me.” -Marinette said, after hesitating on telling Juleka the truth.

“Well, then, good luck.” -Juleka smiled, wishing her luck.

Just as she was about to head over to Adrien, who was talking with Ivan and Max, Nathalie entered the room, passing by them, followed closely by a paramedic. The two of them did not utter a single word, as they exited the room, heading towards the dressing rooms. Seeing that, they all wondered what was going on. Adrien, went after them, and the rest of the gang followed him. Whatever was going on, they had to know, in case it was something akuma related. Though after Gargantua was vanquished and the victims of the akuma butterflies that came out of his mouth returned to normal and were perfectly healthy, nothing guaranteed them the same thing would happen with Haute Couture’s victims. If that was the case, they would have to be ready for anything. Fortunately, when they arrived at the place where the medical emergency was taking place, they saw that it was nothing of the kind. Still, what was going on was not to be taken lightly either, especially since it was starting to get Gabriel Agreste in a bundle of nerves.      

In the dressing room, the models that were getting ready for the show that would close the whole event, when suddenly they all began to feel sick, and nobody knew why. They were feeling nauseated, and kept vomiting. The whole scene looked like something one would see in a hospital’s emergency room. Marinette and the others stayed at the door, while the paramedic that Nathalie went to get observed the models. It did not take him long to conclude what it was going on, and Gabriel Agreste could not believe what he told him.  

“What do you mean food poisoning? Are you sure?”

“These are all symptoms of food poisoning, Mr. Agreste.” -the paramedic said. –“Fever, nausea, vomiting, there’s no mistake about it.”

“But how can that be?! If it was just one or two, but all of them at the same time? How do you explain that?”

“Well, the only explanation I can offer you is that they must have eaten something that was not entirely fresh anymore.” -the paramedic told him. –“You’d be surprised with the cases I see of this on a daily basis. Sometimes is because someone ate a bad piece of fish, others, it’s because they ate an expired yogurt.”

“And I think I know what it was... look!” -Kim said, as he approached both Gabriel and the paramedic with a plate on his hands, a plate with an egg sandwich. –“I think that this here was the culprit.”

“An egg sandwich?” -Gabriel asked, upon looking at the half-eaten sandwich.

“There were lots of them when we first arrived, but I didn’t eat any of them… they didn’t look good.” -Kim admitted.

(Flashback)

_There was a little bit of everything in the buffet, and it was hard for one to choose what to eat first. Still, being afraid someone else might try and take something he wanted to try, Kim wasted no time on that matter. Grabbing a plate, he started to fill it with everything he was entitled to._

_“Let’s see… one burger, one hot dog, a little bit of this, a slice of pizza… a finger sandwich or two, and what’s this here?” -Kim asked, as he checked a particular tray of sandwiches. Checking them he saw that they were egg sandwiches, and he was about to grab one when he noticed they were emanating a strange smell. –“I think I’ll pass these. They don’t look that good anymore” -he said, as he grabbed a slice of quiche Lorraine._

(End of Flashback)

“Glad I didn’t eat one of these.” -Kim said, happy about it. –“Too bad they didn’t check on them before they ate them.”

“But this is a disaster!” -Gabriel practically screamed. –“Where am I going to get a group of models for the closing show now?!” -he asked out loud, desperate with the situation at hand.  

The situation was serious. There was no two ways about it. The closing show was the highlight of the last day of the Paris Fashion Week event, and now, it seemed like there was not going to be a fashion show. It was then that Nina had an idea. It was probably the most insane idea she ever had, and if Gabriel Agreste thought that it was stupid or thoughtless, it could cost her new job; but desperate times call for desperate measures, and she went with her gut.

“If I may, I might have an alternative. I checked the collection you are to unveil, and although the show would be smaller, it would be possible to do it.”

“How?! All the models are sick!” -Nathalie exclaimed.

“Yes, the models are… but, they aren’t.” –Nina pointed to Marinette and the rest of her class.

Hearing that, none of them knew what to say. The idea caught them by surprise, and to say they were shocked upon hearing it would be an understatement. They had seen the clothes Adrien’s dad was going to unveil, and the idea of modelling them was quite tempting.  

“Who? Us?!” –Alya asked.

“Them?!” -Nathalie exclaimed. –“But… don’t take this wrong way, but only Adrien has experience in this kind of things. I don’t know if that would be such a good idea.” -she said.

“And what other choice do we have?” -Nina asked her. –“I know I’m new here, and it’s my first day on the job, but, sometimes we have to go with what we have, and yes, I believe when you say that only one of them has experience walking on a runway, but they all look like quick learners, and I’m sure Monsieur Agreste will agree that it may be our only option. It’s either that, or cancel the whole thing, and I don’t know about you, but I can already read the headlines tomorrow morning, announcing the disaster that the closing was.” -she declared.

When hearing Nina say those words, Gabriel knew she was right. If they did not go forward with the fashion show, the press and the critics would have a field day, criticizing him and just about everything related to the fashion show that he was to put up to close the event. Still, the idea of having his son and his friends modelling his newest collection on the runway was a little extreme. He knew that Adrien would be up for the task, but what about his friends? Looking at them, he saw that all of them had different kinds of bodies, exactly what he needed. His new collection was going to revolutionize everything his brand had ever created, by being an inclusive collection, which meant they were going to produce it for people with various kinds of bodies… it would be clothes not just for those who had a model’s body. In fact, some of the models that were going to walk on the runway with those clothes that night, were plus-size models.

The clothes would have to be adjusted to their bodies, but they still had time to do it. Plus, walking a runway was not rocket science. Some would say that if Gabriel agreed to this, he would be signing his own death sentence, but on that day, and after what he went through, he was feeling lucky.      

“How much time do we have until the fashion show?” -Gabriel asked Nathalie.

“About 3 hours, sir.”

“Three hours, huh?” -Gabriel said, as he kept staring at Marinette and the others. –“It’s a tight fit, but with a little help from the dressmakers, we might be able to pull this off.” -he declared.

“What’s he talking about, Ivan?” –Mylene asked him.

“I have no idea, Mylene.” -Ivan whispered back at her.

“Call the team of dressmakers and tell them to come here immediately.” -Gabriel told Nathalie. –“In the meantime, call the hairdressers and the make-up artists, while I select which set of clothes each one of them will wear, and get started on making the adjustments myself.” -he said, turning to Nina. –“And I’m going to need an extra set of hands.”

“Yes, sir.”

It was starting to get clear for them that Gabriel was going with Nina’s idea, and that meant that the whole class was going to be the stars of the evening.  

“Does this mean what I think it means?” -Marinette asked, super excited.

“Yup, it means that we’re going to go on that runway.” -Adrien told her.

Hearing that, Marinette’s brain practically exploded with what was going on. Having the chance to wear clothes designed by her favourite fashion designer was good, but wearing them while walking on a runway, that was like a dream come true for her. She wanted to shout to the world just how happy she was and jump out of joy, but all that she was able to say was:

“Awesome…” -she whispered so low, that only she heard it.   

* * *

For Adrien, what happened next was pretty much his life when he was not in school, hanging out with his friends or saving the world from a dangerous akuma. He was so used to the world of fashion that by then, all of that was pretty usual for him. But for the rest of the class, what happened was a brand-new experience. The first thing they did was to have Gabriel and Nina take their measurements and then select what would be the clothes they would be wearing when walking on the runway. For the most part, it was easy. They looked at the clothes and said the one they liked the most. Then, Gabriel would either agree or disagree with them, and whether he agreed or disagreed with the choice, he would say why. Of course, there were some that were harder, because there seemed to be nothing that suited them. And though they were on a tight schedule there, in the end, everyone had something to wear. As they finished this, the seamstresses arrived to make the changes to the outfits, so the gang could wear them.    

Leaving them to do that, they went to the next stage of their transformation, hair and make-up, which were crucial. Having their hair and make-up done by professionals was a whole new level. From them all, excluding Adrien, the only others who were used to this kind of treatment were Chloé and Sabrina, whom Chloé would take with her to her favourite salon and spa when she was feeling generous. It felt nice to be pampered like that. Changing their clothes and putting on white robes, they were ready to become superstars, like Chloé said, as they entered the room.  

But, not everyone liked that. Mostly, the guys, who were not fans of wearing make-up, and considered it a girls’ thing. But not all the girls liked it either, Alix for one, was not enjoying it. Being the tomboyish girl, she was, she felt that all of that was superfluous. While they were washing her hair, the fruity smell of the shampoo not only made her feel agonized, but also made her feel like they were pouring a fruity salad on her hair. Still, the worst part for Alix was the make-up. As one of the make-up artists gently and carefully applied all kinds of make-up on her face, she felt like a porcelain doll that had just been painted.

“I feel ridiculous…” -Alix sighed, as she looked herself in the mirror.

“Don’t be silly, dear. You look so pretty.”

“I don’t like it, I mean, I look like a geisha.” -the pink haired girl said, as she looked herself in the mirror. The only thing that was left for her to look like geisha was an Asian haircut and a kimono.

“You want my opinion? -the make-up artist asked her. –“Though you need to have this make-up on, doesn’t mean you can’t do something a little wilder with your hair.” -she answered, before Alix could even tell her if she wanted her opinion of not. –“Perhaps, a punk haircut would be to your liking?”  

At the same time, just a few meters from her in another chair, Marinette had just finished her make-up, and was now discussing with the hair-dresser what to do regarding her hair.

“Tell me, how would you like your hair? Do you want me to leave it loose, or do you want your pigtails?”

“You mean, I can choose?” -Marinette asked her, as the hairdresser finished drying it up.

“Mr. Agreste has said that when it comes to the hair, you get to choose how you want it to look.” -the hairdresser said.

“Well, I would really love to keep my pigtails, but…”

“You want me to do something cool with them?”

“Yes!” -Marinette exclaimed.

“Don’t worry, I did this to a model and she loved it. I think you’re going to love it too.” -the hairdresser told her. –“Just trust me, and you won’t regret it.”

Putting herself in the hairdresser’s hands, Marinette imagined what she was going to do with her hair, waiting impatiently to see the result. When she finally finished, Marinette could hardly believe the result. Looking herself in the mirror, she wondered if it was her reflection she was seeing it.

“So, do you like it?” -the hairdresser asked her. She had given Marinette a pair of pigtails worthy of Mami Tomoe from _Madoka Magica_ , but keeping her hair fringe untouched.

“I love it! I really love it!” -Marinette exclaimed out of happiness.

And she was not the only one who was happy with her new hairstyle. Her friends had also wanted to try different hairstyles. Some of the hairstyles were wilder than others, but all of them were worthy of being seen in a fashion show. Their make-ups matched their hairstyles, while others were the polar opposite, and that was exactly what Gabriel wanted. After that, they had to wait until it was time for them to put on the clothes they were going to wear, so they just went into a room where Nathalie tried to explain to them what they should and should not do while on the on the runway. She even asked Adrien to exemplify a couple of times, so they could see what she was talking about.

“Always look straight ahead, but don’t be shy about moving your neck to your left or your right every three of four steps. And remember, walk slowly and give even steps, to let people see you in full detail.” -Nathalie told them.

“Do we have to pose for the photographers?” -Max asked.

“No, you don’t have to. This is a fashion show, not a photoshoot.” -Nathalie answered him.

“Of course, once you get to the end of the runway, you can strike a pose, before turning around.” -Adrien suggested. Marinette was practically hypnotized by the blond, who had asked the hair-dresser to give him a 50’s greaser hairstyle, which made him look like crossover between the Fonz and Spike from Buffy the Vampire Slayer. If she usually saw him has the handsomest boy in school, then now, she saw him as the handsomest boy in Paris.    

After that quick lesson on how to walk on a runway, Nathalie let them to rest until it was time for them to put on the clothes. Leaving them alone in one of the waiting rooms, this gave them a chance to rest for a bit, while also talking with their kwamis. The little magical creatures had taken refuge up on the ceiling, where no one could see them, and were now happy to get back with their bearers.

“You look great, girl!” -Trixx told Alya.

“Thanks, Trixx.” -Alya told her. –“I wasn’t sure about the haircut, but I guess I do look great with a braid.

“You sure do. It reminds me a bit about Rapunzel… of course, her braid was way longer than yours, but yours is way prettier. The only thing it’s missing it’s a white tip, just like the ones you have on your hair, when you’re Volpina.”

“You’re a smooth talker, you know that?” -Alya told her, as she petted Trixx’s ears.

“I do.” -the kwami smiled at her.

And she was not the only one who was being praised by her kwami. Juleka was also being told how her new hairstyle looked on her.

“This new style really suits you.” -Tamara told Juleka. The Goth had chosen to wear her hair in a loose ponytail, while still leaving her violet hairbrush covering her left eye.

“You think?” -Juleka asked her.

“I do.” -the raven kwami smiled at her. –“It doesn’t make you look so gloomy.”

“I thought you liked me being gloomy and mysterious.” -Juleka told her. 

“And I do, but I also like to see you smile.” -Tamara smiled. –“You have a beautiful smile, and you should let people see it more often.”

“Thanks, Tamara.” -Juleka smiled, as her eyes looked at Rose, who was also sporting a new haircut. Rose had opted to turn her pixie cut into something a little more fashionable, like a shingle bob, reminiscent of the Roaring 20’s, which suited her well. –“ _She looks so pretty with that haircut…_ ” -she thought to herself, never taking her eyes off the blonde.    

“Okay, okay, I know that you hate blonde jokes, but since you’re such in a great mood, I think you’re going to laugh a lot with this one.” -Flint told Rose, who kept smiling, while petting him. –“A blonde, a redhead, and a brunette were all lost in the desert. They found a lamp and rubbed it. A genie popped out and granted them each one wish. The redhead wished to be back home. Poof! She was back home. The brunette wished to be at home with her family. Poof! She was back home with her family. The blonde said, "Awwww, I wish my friends were here." -he said.

The joke was not the best, but it was still funny enough to make Rose’s smile broaden up a little more than it was. Still, the blonde had her mind somewhere. She had her mind thinking about how beautiful Juleka was with that new haircut of hers.

“ _She looks so pretty…_ ” -Rose thought to herself.

“Rose! Rose! ROSE!!!” -Flint exclaimed, snapping her back to reality.

“Uh, sorry… you we’re saying?”  

Their new hairs were quite extraordinaire. Chloé had asked for her to hair to be turned into a beautiful honeycomb, while Sabrina chose a more Asian-like hairstyle, which she absolutely loved. But, not everyone was fully happy with the result, namely, Mylene.  

“I feel strange without my dreadlocks.” -Mylene declared to Sabrina and Chloé. She told the hairdresser to lose the dreadlocks and give her straight hair, and she did it. –“I don’t know if it’s because I haven’t seen myself with straight hair in a long time that I don’t like what I’m seeing, or if it’s because I just don’t like it.”

“I think you look pretty.” -Pin said.

“Your kwami’s right. You look really pretty with your hair like that.” -Sabrina said.

“Well, if your hair wasn’t dyed in several colours, and it was only blonde, like mine, you wouldn’t look like you were wearing a flat clown wig.” -Chloé told her, which gained her a disapproving look from both Sabrina, Mika and Pollen. –“What?! I’m just saying… I’m sorry, Mylene. Sometimes, my old self just pops up for a visit.” -she apologized to her friend.

“It’s okay, I understand.” -Mylene told her. –“I just wish I could look myself in the mirror and fully love the way my hair looks now.”

Hearing her say that, Chloé decided to do something about it. Leaning in front of her, she gently, pulled a green hairbrush over Mylene’s eye, and told her:

“How’s it now?” -she asked her, as Mylene looked herself in the mirror. –“See? By covering your left eye, it gives you a more mystical look.”

“Thank you. It’s perfect now.”

“It sure is.” -Pin agreed with Mylene.

Minutes went by, and while they talked and praised each other’s new looks, they also took the time to relax a little. The battle against Haute Couture had exhausted them, and right then, they just wanted to have the chance to rest, before they had to go on the runway. It was a little stuffy in that room, and they had to control themselves not to mess their hairs or their make-up, but, given what they went through earlier, that felt quite nice to them.

“You haven’t taken your eyes off Adrien for the past 10 minutes, Marinette.” -Tikki giggled, as she landed on the blue

“I just can’t help it…” -Marinette sighed. –“He looks so handsome with that haircut. It he was wearing a black leather jacket, he would look like the perfect bad boy.” -she kept sighing.

“Like I said before, you have to ask him out.”

“Maybe later… after the show.”

“You always say that, and in the end, you never do it.” -Tikki looked her in the eyes. –“Come on, Marinette, just go and ask him out. He won’t bite.” -she giggled.

“Okay, I’ll go.” -she smiled.

Still, it would not be this time that she would ask the blond out, on account of someone that appeared out of nowhere. Wearing one of his Hawaiian shirts, and holding his arms behind his back, Master Fu was there, with a smile on his face. And like always, he startled them with his appearance out of the blue.

“Sorry, if I startled you.” -Master Fu said.

“No offense, master, but you’ve got to stop doing that.” -Alya told him.

“Are you going to tell us how you got here, without being seen? It’s just that I haven’t seen that door over there open.” -Nino declared.

“That’s a story for another time.” -Master Fu smiled.

“So, what can we do for you, master?” -Nathaniel asked him.

“Well, I came here to congratulate you for a job well done.” -Master Fu said. –“I saw the whole thing, and I must say that you handled in the situation quite well.”

It felt nice to hear those words from Master Fu, but, they knew they had not done their best. If they had, they would have stopped Haute Couture earlier.

“We handled in the situation well, master, but we didn’t handle it perfectly.” -Marinette said. As she remembered of everything she ordered her team to do, she wondered if she had thought thoroughly, she would have found another way to solve the problems they faced.

“Indeed. That’s why I said that you handled the situation quite well. If I had told you all that you handled in things perfectly, I would have said so.” -Master Fu asserted. –“Still, today, you learned many valuable lessons, lessons which you will use on your next battles. Though, I must admit that that Haute Couture was quite the enemy.”

“Thank you for the kind words, master, and you’re right, we did learn valuable lessons today.” -Alix said.

“But, it seems to me that though you have saved the day, you still have something else to do, am I right?” -Master Fu said, as he looked at them.

“Yes, we have to help and save Adrien’s dad fashion show.” -Max declared.

“Luckily, we don’t have to transform to do that.” -Mylene stated.   

“Indeed.” -Master Fu said. –“You already had enough fighting for one day. Plus, your kwamis really need a good rest. Perhaps, you should take a couple of days off.” -he joked about it.

“That would be a great idea, master. Unfortunately, I don’t think our parents would like us skipping school.” -Nathaniel said.

“But you can bet that we will be skipping on the trainings for the next couple of days.” -Alya pointed out. –“After today’s fight, I’m saying we earned that right.”

“Fair enough. Well, I wish you good luck on your next endeavour.” -Master Fu told them.

“Wait, master, could you do us a favour?” -Mylene asked him.

“It depends on the favour, my dear. What exactly is that favour?”

“Could you, you know, take the kwamis with you and maybe, find a place in the audience? They’ve been saying they want to watch the show, but we can’t just let them go alone.” -Marinette said. –“If they weren’t so tired, I think we would let them go alone, but in their condition, they might get careless and end up being seen by the wrong people.”

“That won’t be a problem, my dear.” -Master Fu told her. –“It will be my pleasure to do that. Plus, that will give me the chance to see you. It’s been a couple of years since I attended a fashion show.” -he chuckled.

Hearing that, all the kwamis got into a messenger bag that was in the room, excited about the opportunity to watch the kids, without any chance of getting caught. 

“Now, don’t worry, they’ll be fine with me. I’ll make sure they have the finest places in the house to watch you.” –Master Fu said, as he slipped the bag over his shoulder, always smiling. –“You just focus on giving the audience the show they came here for.”

“Thank you, Master Fu.” –Mylene said, when she and the others noticed that he had already disappeared. They had taken their eyes off him for a single second, and now, he was nowhere to be seen.

“How does he do that?!” -Adrien asked.

“No idea, but one of these days, he’ll have to teach us.” -Kim declared. –“A move like that could come in handy.” -he said, making the others laugh.  

* * *

In the air, one could hear disco music. Everything was ready, and, so was the whole gang, as the hairdressers and the make-up artists made sure that they were perfect. The clothes they were wearing were both fashionable and comfortable. Gabriel Agreste had created a line that was really going to revolutionize the whole clothing industry, at least for the next autumn/winter.

Every one of the kids was wearing different outfits. Marinette was wearing a red hoodie with a red and black off-the-shoulder, long sleeved top over it, a black mini-skirt with a slit on its right side, red and black striped tights and red and white Converse-All’s. Adrien was wearing a black high-collared jacket, while wearing another jacket over it, this one unzipped and white, with several black block designs and a grey hem on the end of each sleeve. This jacket's collar was red and pleated and folded back. On top of it, he was also wearing black and red pants and pair of black and red shoes. Alya was wearing a a light-yellow shirt with an orange jacket wrapped on her waist and a black and white mini-skirt. black socks with white lining and orange shoes. Nino was wearing a short-sleeved, white shirt with dark cuffs underneath an orange jersey with blue and white lining, sporting a stylized “G”, blue pants, blue and orange shoes with grey soles, and a blue bandana around his neck. Chloé’s was wearing a purple jacket with a short lavender dress, along with a periwinkle belt, black leggings with cream coloured boots. Sabrina was wearing an orange long-sleeved shirt with a white maple leaf at the bottom, white pants, orange socks with white hems, and black and orange shoes with white laces. Rose was wearing something that she absolutely loved, a pink sweater jacket with a loose black ribbon, a white mini-skirt, pink and white striped stockings and black shoes. Juleka was wearing a purple sleeveless jacket, a pair of black Capri pants, with irregular placed pockets and a pair of purple leather heel boots. Nathaniel was wearing a red long sleeveless coat with a short black vest, orange baggy trousers with a matching orange tie and black boots. Kim was wearing a slightly modified winter school uniform, which consisted of a standard navy blue blazer with elbow pads, unbuttoned to reveal a an orange t-shirt with the word '”Gabriel”, along with plaid jeans rolled up to reveal his ankles, and pair of navy blue sneakers. Alix was wearing a dark blue leather jacket over a light-grey long-sleeved shirt, fashionably ripped purple leggings, underneath a pair of dark blue shorts with red highlights, black trainers with blue on them, and dark blue bare-knuckle gloves. Max was wearing light orange hoodie with a picture of a molecule, tight skinny blue jeans with a keychain attached to the pocket, orange fingerless gloves and black shoes. Mylene was wearing a red sweater under a blue hooded coat with a white ruff in the hood, turquoise gloves, a black skirt, red stockings, and turquoise boots with white soles. And, finally, Ivan was wearing an orange V-neck jumper, over a black double-breasted leather jacket with a “G” embroidered on its right, black trousers and a pair of black and white leather Dr. Marten’s boots. 

As they waited to be called to the runway, the nerves began to make them unease. They all tried to relax, but some of them were more nervous than others.

“I’m scared… I think I’ve got stage fright!” -Sabrina said.

“Sabrina, try to relax. You don’t have stage fright. Believe me, I know what stage fright is, I conquered that fear years ago, and you’re not showing any of the symptoms.” -Chloé told her, trying to calm her down.

“Are you sure?” -Sabrina asked her. –“Because I’m even more scared than that time I had to speak in front of the whole school during career day.”

“Just take deep breaths, and you’ll be fine. Trust me.”    

And if taking deep breaths would not work, Mylene herself had the perfect cure for her nerves, her happy song. Singing that always calmed her down, and once more, it was doing its work.  

“Smelly wolf, smelly wolf, trapped in the stinky hut. Smelly wolf, smelly wolf- I'm gonna kick your… Smelly wolf, smelly wolf. Stinky breath and slimy drool. Smelly wolf, smelly wolf. You're just a silly...” -Mylene hummed the song.

“Nervous?” -Ivan asked her.

“Very nervous… and you?” -Mylene told him.

“I’m actually more hot than nervous.” -Ivan declared. The clothes he was wearing looked very cool, but they were actually quite hot. –“I’ll be honest, I can’t wait to get these off and put on my own clothes.”

“Know what you mean… mine are also making me feel like I’m in a sauna.” -Mylene told him. –“Still, you look very handsome in your outfit.”

“Thanks… you also look super pretty.” -Ivan told her.

“Oh, don’t say that, you’re going to make me blush, Ivan.” -Mylene told him, giggling. If she was not wearing that much make-up on her face, he would see just how red she was becoming, thanks to his praising.

Before Ivan and Mylene got get eve more lovey dovey with one another, Nathalie showed up, with an announcement.

“Five minutes to go. Get ready, everyone!” -Nathalie told them. –“Miss Dupain-Cheng, you’ll be the first… remember, keep your back straight and your head forward.”

“Okay.” -Marinette waved her head. –“This is it… I never thought I would make my great debut into the fashion world like this, but hey, I’m not complaining.” -she thought to herself.

“Good luck.”

“Thanks, Adrien.” -Marinette told him. –“Good luck to you too.”

“I don’t need it, remember? Got nine lives and all the luck a cat can have.” -Adrien joked.

“ _You crazy cat… even without your suit, you still crack cat puns like no one else._ ” -Marinette thought to herself.

* * *

It was time for the show. Tension was high, and all eyes in the room were on the runway, where Gabriel Agreste’s newest collection would be presented.

“This edition has been one of the best of its kind in many years. But, like all good things, so this edition comes to an end. Still, that does not mean it should end with gloomy faces. This is a party, and we can’t have that happening, now can we?” -the presenter joked-“And what better way to end a fashion event, than a fashion show. Ladies and gentlemen, it is my great honour to present you Gabriel Agreste’s latest creations for next years’ Autumn/Winter line, entitled “Street Wise.”.

A shower of applauses was heard, as the presenter got out of the stage and lights went down. Then, the spotlights over the runway went on, one by one, as the song _Pretty Fly (From a White Guy)_ by Offspring started. To its rhythm, Marinette walked into the runway. Her breathing was irregular and she was absolutely sure her heart had skipped a few heartbeats, just like when she thought about Adrien. But, unlike when that happened and she felt good about it, this time, it felt bad, like if she wanted to run and hide. Still, that did stop her from heading on. Emptying her mind, she focused on getting to the end of the runway, while panicking at the same time.”

“ _I can’t do this… of course, I can! Come on, Marinette, just go with the music._ ” -she told herself.

With each step she gave, she grew bolder and bolder, until all her nervousness disappeared. At first, she did what Nathalie had told her and her friends about walking and keeping their pose while on the runway, but it did not take her long to start moving her body to the rhythm of the music. When she reached the end of the runway, she stroked a pose for the cameras, making the horn sign with both hands, and to her surprise, she saw none other than Master Fu sitting on the first line between a couple of photographers, smiling to her, while holding up the messenger bag, where all the kwamis were. Smiling, she saw Tikki winking at her. Not resisting, she winked her back, before turning heels and walking back, crossing paths with Adrien, who winked at her.

Having seen what, the blue-haired girl did while on the runway, Adrien also decided to mimic her, waving his body to the sound of the song, and stroke a pose when reaching the end of the runway, and just like Marinette had done, he also did some kind of hand gesture. In his case, he threw a thumbs up to the crowd. Soon, the rest of the gang also did the same and what seemed was going to be just one more boring fashion show, turned into something the fashion world had not seen years.   

When it came to hand gestures, everyone did a different one. Alya did an A-Okay sign, while Nino did a so-so sign. Chloé, being the diva, she was, she threw a kiss into the air. Rose, waved her hand just like beauty pageant contestants did. Alix did the shaka sign, while Max, being the nerd, he was, could not help himself and ended up doing the Vulcan salute. Some of them even exchanged fist bumps, when they crossed paths on the runway.  

Gabriel, who was watching the whole thing from the sidelines, agreed that what they were doing was not exactly what one should do when on the runway, but given the theme of his line, he saw it as an unexpected bonus that seemed to have everyone applauding the teenagers.

If the applauses seemed many when they went down the runway the first time, then when they all came back for the final walk-through, and Gabriel himself joined them, the whole tent exploded with applauses. The show had been a colossal success, and it was all thanks to Marinette and the rest of her class, as well as Nina, who had risen to the occasion. The whole fashion world would be talking about it for months to come, and as they were literally bombarded with flashes, Marinette could not help but to think to herself:   

“ _We rocked this…_ ” -Marinette told herself.


	19. Rose's Dream

The fashion show had been a colossal success, and just like some critics had predicted, it was the talk of the fashion world during the following days. Gabriel Agreste’s newest line was a success, and Marinette and her friends were entitled to their 15 minutes in the spotlight. When their parents found out about it, they were sure to buy copies from every fashion magazine they were in.  

Still, there was no time for them to be boasting about it. Though they had agreed they would skip the training and night watches for the next couple of days, so they could regain back their strength, and rest a little while, there was still one last thing the whole gang had to do; helping Rose to enter the prestigious ballet school she wanted to. And to do that, each one of them had decided to help the blonde with something, to help her achieve her goal. Marinette had promised Rose she would make her a dress for the try-outs, promising her that she would look like a princess in it. Unfortunately, the blue-haired girl was suffering from an artistic block, that prevented her from doing what she had set out to do. On her desk, she had dozens of designs sketches, based on the original sketch she had done when she offered herself to do the dress. And on the floor, there were perhaps meters of parchment paper, every single one of those meters sketched upon and cut into moulds, as Marinette tried to assemble them in the mannequin she had bought for that kind of projects. While she worked, Tikki watched her in silence. She knew that finishing that dress for Rose was important, so the little kwami did not utter a single word, while the girl worked. Aside from the occasional “ouch” from Marinette, when she pricked herself on a pin, and the sound of the parchment being cut or moulded, no other sound was heard in the room.     

After what looked like an eternity, she finished assembling the moulds. Looking at it, Marinette admired it, while comparing it to her sketch. She was proud of herself, for having been able to do the hardest part. Now that she had all the moulds the way she wanted, she could begin cutting the fabrics and sewing them. But then, she noticed that one of the sleeves was not the way she wanted… and then, it was the other sleeve that was the same way. Looking at her work, she noticed that there were other flaws in her work; flaws that she should have noticed while pinning down the moulds. Having failed to achieve the result she wanted, in frustration, she tore the whole thing from the mannequin.

“This is awful!!!” -Marinette said, as she sighed in defeat, throwing herself on her chaise-longue. –“I’ll never be able to finish this in time!”

“Marinette…” -Tikki said, as she flew over to the blue-haired girl.

“No, Tikki, please, don’t give me the usual pep talk, please…” -Marinette told her, frustrated about her inability to finish the dress. –“I’m a lousy excuse for a dressmaker or seamstress…” -she said  

“Well, too bad, because I’m going to give you that pep talk, whether you like it, or not.” -Tikki told her

“Tikki, please, can’t you just leave me alone?!” -Marinette asked, absolutely frustrated with her failure. 

“No, I can’t, and you know why?” -Tikki asked her, this time with a softer and kinder voice. –“Because I know just how talented you are.”

“Then, if I’m as talented as you say I am, then why can’t I get this done properly, Tikki?!” -Marinette shouted at her kwami. She had never shouted at Tikki before, and the moment she realized she had done it, Marinette apologized to her. –“I’m sorry, Tikki, I shouldn’t have yelled at you… it’s just, I promised Rose that I would make her this dress for the try-outs, and I don’t know if I’ll be able to complete it in time… there’s still so much work to be done…” -she said, almost on the brink of tears.

“It’s okay, Marinette.” -Tikki said, as she closed in on the girl’s face and wiped one of the tears, with her little hand. –“But, everything is going to be fine… you just need to take a little break from all of this.”

“B-But the dress… Rose… she’s counting on me…”

“You still have time, and from what I’ve heard, you work really fast, when you find the right inspiration.” -Tikki told her. –“There’s an old saying that says “You can’t see the forest for the trees.”, and that’s exactly what’s happening right now with you. You need to take a step back and see things from a different perspective… and for you, right now, that means taking a deep breath, wiping those tears and do something else to get your mind out of it.”

Hearing the tiny scarlet creature, Marinette knew she was right. She was so focused on trying to do the perfect ballet dress for Rose, that she was doing it all wrong by trying to achieve perfection. Wiping her tears and clearing her throat, she gently grabbed Tikki and pulled her for a warmth hug.

“Thanks, Tikki…”

“Don’t mention it, Marinette.” -Tikki said, as she lied her head against Marinette’s chest and heard her heart beating.

“So, what do you want to do?” -Marinette asked Tikki, as she released her.

“What do you mean? You’re the one with the artistic block… what do you do when you have one?”

“Well, I usually go out or I stay home and watch something on the television.” -Marinette answered, as she looked outside through the window, and saw how the rain was coming down. It was raining and cats and dogs, and there was no sign it would be stopping any moment soon. –“And since the weather isn’t the best to go outside, I guess I’m stuck inside… want to watch a movie?”

“Sure!” -Tikki exclaimed. –“What do you feel like watching?”

“I don’t know… but I might decide it, while I’m going downstairs to get us something to eat. You want milk with your cookies?”

“Can it be banana-flavoured milk?” -Tikki asked her. She had been addicted to it, ever since the blue-haired girl had seen on the Internet how to make it and made it.

“Sure… anything else?” -Marinette giggled.

“Well… since you asked so nicely… could you bring me, maybe, a bowl of those chocolate cereals you eat, when you’re not in a mood for your parent’s croissants?”

“You got it, you little glutton.”

When she came back with the goodies for them to eat, Marinette had already decided what she wanted to watch… a scary movie or series. No one, not even Alya, her best-friend knew about this, but Marinette loved horror flicks and series. She liked to watch them and laugh about how fake the blood looked or how predictable the stories were. No one would ever suspect this, given they believed she was a scaredy-cat. And it was true, she was easily scared by many things, but horror movies were not one of those things. She had a bunch of movies and series of the genre hidden in her closet, and on that afternoon, she was in the mood to watch something scary.

Of course, first, Marinette asked Tikki if she was alright with it. The little kwami told her that it was alright. She might look cute and innocent, but being 5000 years old, she had seen pretty much everything and told her that she would not mind. This was about her getting her mind out of the problem she had, so, they would do what she wanted to do.

“Are you sure?”

“Definitely… besides, I’ve watched Dracula, The Wolfman and several other horror movies from the 30’s and 40’s online. How different can they be?” -Tikki told Marinette.

“Oh, you’re in for a little surprise, Tikki.” -she thought to herself, as a smirk appeared on her face.

Going through her collection, she chose to watch a series she became a fan of, after reading the first book of the trilogy… The Strain. She had become addicted to it when she watched it for the first time, and when the DVDs came out, she bought them as soon as she got her allowance.

Putting it on, she and Tikki took a seat on Marinette’s bed, and readied themselves for a marathon. And, just like Marinette had anticipated, it did not take long for the little kwami to not enjoy what she was watching.

“Ew!!!! Ew, ew, ew, ew, ew!!! That was disgusting!” -Tikki said, as Marinette laughed.

“Oh, come on, Tikki, that’s actually fun.” -Marinette said, between laughs.

“There’s nothing fun in them showing a guy cutting off a vampire’s… what’s that thing called anyway?!”

“It’s called a throat appendage, and it’s how they suck off blood from their victims.” -Marinette said, as she ate another cookie. –“It beats the old biting someone’s neck to suck out their blood… besides, it’s all fake. Can’t you see? The blood’s too red… that’s only corn syrup.”

“It’s still disgusting…” -Tikki said, as she sipped her glass of milk.

“I thought you said you had seen everything there is to see and that you were okay with it.” -Marinette stated.

“I have, but that doesn’t mean I like what I saw.” -Tikki told her.

“You want watch something else? We can watch something else, if you want to.” -Marinette asked Tikki. She did not want her kwami to feel like she was forced to watch something she did not like.

“No, it’s okay.”

“Are you sure? Because we can always… always…”

“Always, what, Marinette?” -Tikki asked the girl. She looked like her mind had gone somewhere else, and left her to repeat the last word she said.   

And like always, Tikki was right. Marinette just needed to get her mind off her problems. Like magic, the answer to her problem sparked in her mind, and all it took was a couple of episodes form one of her favourite shows and a little chat with Tikki.

“If you want to keep watching it, be my guest, I got to go back to Rose’s dress, before I forget what went through my mind just now.” -Marinette said, as she jumped from her bed and ran down to where the mannequin was. –“Oh, and you were absolutely right! I just really needed to take a little break.”  

Hearing her say that, Tikki could not help but to smile, as Marinette went back to work.

* * *

That week seemed like it dragged itself to no end, and to make matters worse, it kept raining non-stop for several days. But, finally the day for the try-outs for the ballet school arrived, and Rose could not be more nervous than she was. And who could blame her? She was going to try and enter the Centre de Danse du Marais, one of the most prestigious dance schools in Paris. Excluding the Paris Opera, the school itself was the best ballet school in Paris. With more than 50 years of excellence, located near the Centre Georges Pompidou, that was the place where Rose, if accepted, would give her first steps towards a possible career in ballet. Throughout her life, she had practiced ballet and other kinds of dances as a hobby. But now, she wanted more, she wanted to become a real ballerina, and that would be the perfect place to do it. If she graduated from that dance school with good grades, in a couple of years, she could try and enter the Paris Opera dance company. But to do all that, she had to be accepted in the school first.

On that day, her parents were both working, so, she ended up being accompanied by her whole class, who had volunteered to help her getting accepted. When they all got there it was pouring, and they were all relieved to get out of the rain. Entering the school’s entrance, they were astonished by the amount of people there for the try-outs. There were not only girls, but also boys who were going to secure a place, and on that day, no matter how many they were, only 20 lucky ones would be accepted into that dance school. The pressure was high, and Rose felt like she had butterflies in her stomach; never a good stress sign.

“I’m starting to have second thoughts…” -Rose whispered to Juleka, who was right beside her.

“Don’t say that.” -Juleka told her.

“She’s right, kiddo. You can’t back-out now.” -Flint whispered to her. Her kwami had taken a ride on the top pocket of her raincoat. –“You got to trust yourself.”

“ _I should have brought my unicorn plushie on my backpack… it always brings me luck._ ” -Rose thought to herself. It was a secret of hers, but that plushie had given her luck ever since her parents bought it for her, and she would usually sneak it in with her, whenever she had a tough test or had to do something she was afraid of failing at.

“Now stop daydreaming, and let’s get this over with.” -Flint told her.

“So, what do we have to do?” -Nathaniel asked, as he closed in on her.

“Well, first I have to go and tell that I’m here, and see when it will be my turn. After that, you guys will have to help me warming up, get dressed, do my hair and make-up and maybe, practice the routine once more, just to be sure I don’t forget it.” -Rose said.

“After practicing it for nearly four straight days, I think you don’t need any more practice. But if you think it will help you, I’m up for it.” -Kim told her. Just like he had promised her, he, Mylene and Alix helped her come up with a routine they were sure would nail her a spot on that ballet school.

“Don’t worry.”  

“Alright… then, I’m just going to… oh, no!” -Rose said, as her face turned chalky white.

“What’s the matter?” -Ivan asked the blonde.

“My pen drive! The pen drive that had the song I’m going to use in my routine, it’s not here! I must have forgotten at home!” -Rose exclaimed, panicking. She was sure she had put it on her backpack, but the nerves might have made her think she had done it, when she did not.  

“I got you covered.” -Nino said, as he pulled out a pen drive from his backpack. –“I figured you might forget it at home with the pile of nerves you’re in, so I took the liberty of brining a few copies, just in case.” -he smiled, as he waved the pen drive in his hand.

“You’re the best, Nino!” -Rose said, as she took the object from his hand, and gave him a hug. –“Without this, I wouldn’t be able to perform.”

“Actually, you won’t be able to perform, if you don’t have a dress.” -Mylene told her, remembering everyone there that Marinette had not arrived yet.

“Typical, Marinette…” -Chloé declared. –“She’s able to lead us when saving the world, but she can never arrive on time, when we specifically told her that she had to be here on time, so Rose could try the dress.”

“Chloé!” -Pollen exclaimed in a hushed voice. She was hiding in Chloé’s purse.

“But it’s true! She’s always late!” -Chloé exclaimed.

“But you don’t have to say it like that, you know?” -Sabrina told her. She did not like when Chloe acted that way. It reminded her of how Chloé used to be all the time.  

“As if you haven’t arrived late before.” -Kim shot at her.

“Look, let’s just calm down, okay? We didn’t come here to fight, we came here to help and support Rose, okay?” -Adrien broke up the argument. –“And the last thing she needs right now, is someone arguing because of the most trivial of things. She needs a friendly environment, so she can concentrate.” -he said.

“You’re right… sorry.” -Chloé apologized.

“Yeah, sorry about that.” -Kim said.

“You’ve really got to start learning to keep that big mouth of yours shut, Kim.” -Imp told him.

“I know, I know…” -Kim told him.

“And the same thing goes for you, Chloé.” -Pollen eyed her.

“Okay, I got the message.” -the blonde rolled her eyes in annoyance.

“Marinette’s not picking up her cell, so that means, she’s either still asleep, or on her way here.” -Alya said, as she put her cell phone back in her pocket. –“ _And I really hope you’re already making your way here, girl, because Rose will start flippin if she doesn’t have her dress for the try-outs_.” -she thought to herself.

“While we wait for her to show up, I’ll go to the desk and tell them that I’m already here.” -Rose told them. –“Then, you guys can help me with the warm-up.” -she told Kim and Alix.   

* * *

Marinette had fallen asleep. When she woke up and looked at the time, she practically fell out of bed. She knew just how important those try-outs were for Rose, so she spent the previous afternoon and night checking the dress for any flaws and to iron it to perfection. When she finished it, she was incredibly proud of herself, and she knew Rose was going to love it. But doing so, she overslept. Waking up Tikki, she rushed into the bathroom for a quick shower, while the little kwami went into the wardrobe and picked her clothes for her.

“ _I can’t believe I fell asleep! I never fall asleep!_ ” -Marinette thought to herself, as she wrapped herself in a towel. –“ _Oh, who am I kidding? I’m always falling asleep…_ ” -she said. –“ _Well, doesn’t matter, I have to hurry up and dry my hair._ ”

“Marinette, are you almost done?” -Tikki asked her.

“Almost, Tikki! Just have to dry my hair.”

“You might want to hurry up just a little bit faster…”

“I know, we’re running late. I hope dad can take us there, or else, Rose won’t have the dress for the try-outs.” -Marinette said, as she turned on the hairdryer.

Getting ready in an almost record time, Marinette asked her father if he could take her there. Even if she ran, she would never get there in time and Rose’s dress would end up ruined with the rain. Telling her to get her things and put on a raincoat, Tom went to get the car. There was very little movement in the bakery that morning, so he could leave his wife Sabine taking care of things, while he dropped Marinette at the dance school.

“You ready? You have your seatbelt on?” -Tom asked her, as he placed his.

“Yes, dad.” -Marinette declared.

“Okay, then, here we go.” -Tom said, as he started the car.

The rain kept coming down hard, as Tom’s car rolled down the streets of Paris. Looking out the car window, Marinette wondered if Rose would actually manage to get into the dance school. She had seen her dance, and she knew Rose had the talent needed, but the other people who were going to the try-outs must had it in them, otherwise they would not try to enter it. Sighing, she wished there was some magical way to help Rose achieve her goal… with the amount of magic she and the rest of her friends had seen ever since they were chosen to bear the miraculouses, it was not hard for her to imagine there was some talisman or amulet that could grant wishes. Then again, if there was, Hawk Moth would probably know about it and would have got it, and wished for world domination by now.

“Something wrong, Mari?” -Tom asked his daughter, calling her by the nickname he had given her.

“Uh, no, dad. I was just thinking…”

“About what? About a certain boy, whom your mother and I know that you like?” -Tom joked.

“Dad!” -Marinette exclaimed. –“You and mom promised!”

“I know, I know… we promised you we wouldn’t talk about how much you like Adrien.” -Tom told her. –“But you can’t expect us not to say something, when you’re always daydreaming about him. Plus, your mom thinks he would make a cute boyfriend for you.”

“Dad!!!” -Marinette exclaimed, as she tried not to blush.

“Okay, okay, I’ll stop.” -Tom said, between giggles. –“But you have to admit that you two looked very cute together on those photos taken a few days ago.” -he said, referring to some of the many photos taken to the two of them and the rest of their class during the fashion event and that went viral over the Internet.

“We’re just friends, dad, nothing more.” -Marinette told him. –“Though, you don’t even imagine how much I wanted that to change.” -she thought to herself.

“Fine, I won’t talk about it anymore.” -Tom declared, as he turned left. –“Then, what were you thinking about it?”   

“I was thinking about my friend Rose and how much she wants to become a ballerina.” -Marinette answered him.

“It’s her dream, isn’t it?” -Tom asked her.

“Yes, just like I want to become a fashion designer, she wants to become a ballerina. And this dress might be the difference between her getting accepted into it, or not.” -Marinette told her dad.  

“You put everything you had in it, didn’t you, Mari?”

“I did, dad. And I really hope it helps her.”

“It will, trust in yourself.” -Tom told her. –“Besides, I’m sure that your friend will surely appreciate the gesture, whether she succeeds or not.”

After nearly 30 minutes, they arrived at their destination. Parking the car in front of the dance school, Marinette picked up the dress that had been carefully placed inside a garment bag to protect it from the rain, and exited the car.

“Thanks, dad.”

“Don’t mention it, sweetie. You want me to pick you up later?”

“No, thanks. I’ll take the underground or the bus back home. See ya!” -she smiled, as she closed the car’s door behind her. It was still raining, but not as much as before. Right then, there were just a few drops, so there was little chance of her getting wet.

As Tom turned the car around, Marinette entered the building and began looking for her friends. There were so many people there, that it made it difficult for her to see where they were. She was so focused in finding them, that she did not look where she was going. And being a little prone to disasters, Marinette ended up stumbling into a person’s backpack, losing her balance, nearly letting go of the garment bag. She was about to fall on the floor, when she felt someone grabbing her from behind. That someone was none other than Adrien. The boy was worried about her, so he had decided to go into the school’s lobby and wait for her to show up.

Turning around, Marinette saw that it had been Adrien who saved her from a fall on the ground. Looking him in the eyes, she froze, not knowing what to do or what to say.

“Are you okay?”

“Y-Yes…” -Marinette laughed. –“Thanks for catching me, Adrien.” -she told him.

“It’s okay.” -Adrien smiled.

“I overslept, but I hope I’m not too late.” -the blue-haired girl said.  

“Don’t worry, we’ve got time. Rose’s going to be the last one, so we have time.” -Adrien declared.

“Good… I mean, at least I got here in time. Where is she?” -Marinette asked him.

“Follow me.”

“You really blew it… you wasted an opportunity there to ask her out!” -Plagg whispered at him. The cat kwami was, as always hiding in Adrien’s shirt pocket.

“Mind your own beeswax, Plagg. I’ll ask Marinette out, when I see fit, okay?” –Adrien whispered at his kwami. Though Plagg was a good listener, when it came to giving advices, he was the last person, or in his case, creature, that Adrien would ask for them. 

“Okay, you don’t need to get so mad about it. Just trying to help.” -Plagg sulked. Still, Adrien did not worry about it. He knew that the moment he gave him a piece of smelly Camembert, Plagg would forget about it.

“What did you say?” -Marinette asked Adrien, not having understood what he had said.

“Oh, I was just saying, I’m glad you’re here. Chloé kept saying that you would not come and… well, you know just how she is when she has to get up really early.” -Adrien quickly told her.

When they got to where the rest of the class was, Alix and Kim were helping Rose with the warm-ups. She had already changed into her ballet outfit, as she liked to call it. Basically, it was a white-shirt, white dance pants and pink leg warmers. Rose had just done a perfect split, when she noticed Marinette had arrived.

“You arrived!” -Rose exclaimed, as she signalled Alix to help her get back on her feet.  

“Sorry, so sorry I’m late…” -Marinette apologized to everyone. –“But I’m here, with the dress. I hope you like it, Rose.”

Opening the garment bag, Marinette gently pulled the dress out of it and holding the hanger in the air, she showed to Rose and everyone else what she had been cooking up during that last week. Just like she had envisioned it, the dress was composed by several parts, that when combined, formed a functioning dress that would allow Rose to portray two different versions of Cinderella, without the need to change her dress during her performance. The dress itself was Marinette’s rendition of Disney’s Cinderella ball dress, while the other parts that combined formed the rag dress, were all her own design. Seeing it, Rose nearly squealed out of joy.

“It’s… it’s so beautiful.” -Rose said, as she looked at it. –“Marinette… I don’t even know what to say… how can I repay you?”

“How? By going in there and earning your right to attend this dance school, miss Flamingo.” -Marinette joked.   

“Don’t call me that…” -Rose giggled. –“I’m only one when I’ve got the suit on.” -she winked at Marinette.

“Well, you’ll dance like one today… like a flamingo or a swan.” -Tikki whispered enthusiastically, from Marinette’s purse. 

One by one, the applicants were called to perform their routines in a room that was located on the second floor. As her turn to show why she deserved a spot in that place grew closer, the girls all helped Rose getting ready, while the boys stood outside of the girls’ room, with the kwamis, as they did not want them to be seen by anyone who might enter unannounced.

Marinette and Alya helped her put on the dress, while Mylene helped her put on her ballet slippers. Chloé and Sabrina helped her get her hair done, just the way she wanted, while Juleka took care of her make-up. Chloé had volunteered to do Rose’s make-up, but she knew Juleka had firmer hands than her, so she let the Goth take care of it, while she and Sabrina took care of her hair. While they did this, Rose felt just like when they were the stars of the fashion show.

“Rose, I can’t do this, if you don’t keep your eyes shut.” -Juleka told her. –“I’ll let you know when you can open them, okay?”

“Sorry.” -Rose smiled, closing her eyes and allowing Juleka to go on.  

When she finished, Juleka pulled a hand-mirror she had brought with her and held it in front of Rose’s face, just before telling her to open her eyes. When she opened them, and saw what Juleka had done, Rose almost cried, but held her tears to not mess the job she did. The make-up was quite simple, but incredibly beautiful. Combined with the dress she was now wearing and her hairstyle, she looked like she had just jumped out of a children’s fairy tale book.  

“Hold on, there’s one thing left.” -Juleka said, as she went to Rose’s backpack and grabbed a small bottle of perfume, the blonde brought with her. This was an old-fashioned pink and white glass bottle, with an atomizer. In it you could read in golden letters, its name, “ _Princess Fragrance_ ”.

“Oh, my lucky perfume.” -

“You know the judges aren’t going to notice you smell like a rose, Rose.” -Chloé pointed out.

“I know that, but that doesn’t mean I can’t smell nice.” -Rose said, as Juleka sprayed her with it. Its smell was soft and fresh, but at the same time, quite intense. –“Thanks, Juleka.” -she thanked her friend, as she inhaled the fragrance.

“I like it. It smells nice.” -Mylene declared.

“Me too.” -Sabrina agreed.

Looking herself in the mirror, Rose was thrilled by what her friends had accomplished.

“Now, don’t cry, okay? I don’t want to have to do your whole make-up again, okay?” -Juleka told her.

“I’m trying not to, but… it’s really hard not to, because you girls did an incredible job, all of you.” -Rose said, as she admired the dress Marinette had made her. Even the part that would come out and reveal the princess dress looked amazing.    

“We’re glad you like it.” -Alix told her.

But once more, her nerves caused her stomach to feel like she had butterflies in it, as well as causing her second thoughts about everything. She was afraid to fail, because she was not good enough, but now, she was starting to feel scared of letting her friends also down. They had worked so hard to help her… if she did not make the cut, not only she would let herself down, but them as well, and she did not want that to happen. With those thoughts running amok inside her mind, she began to stress out, as well as tremble.  

“But, I’m scared… You guys made such a great effort to help me out, and I don't want to disappoint you by failing." -Rose sighed.

“Everything’s going to be fine, okay? You got this.” -Juleka told her. –“Tell yourself this… Screw everything and everyone. It’s just me and the music, because when it’s just me and that, nothing else matters.”

“It’s beautiful. Did you make that up, right now?”

“Nope, James Hetfield, the lead vocalist from Metallica said it.” -Juleka smiled. –“If you weren’t always listening to Disney movies songs, you would know that, silly.” -she said, making Rose smile even more.

“I promise I’ll start hearing them, if you promise to also hear more light-hearted music as well, okay?” -Rose promised her friend.

 “Deal.” -Juleka smiled back at her friend.

Then, Chloé heard one of the boys say something, which led her out of the girls’ room to find out what was going on. Turns out, they were warning the girls that Rose’s name had just been called. Going back into the girls’ room, she warned Rose of what was going on.   

“They’re calling your name, Rose!” -the blonde exclaimed.

“Guess it’s Showtime.” -Mylene declared.

“Guess it is.” -Rose sighed.

“Remember… nothing else matters, okay?” -Juleka told Rose.  

“Okay.” -Rose answered her, as they exited the girls’ room.  

“Hold on, hold on! This moment deserves to be captured on film.” -Alya said, as she took her cell phone and started to film Rose. –“Ladies and gentlemen, Rose Lavillant is about to kick ass, right here at the Centre de Danse du Marais!”

“Alya!” -Rose exclaimed, feeling embarrassed.

“Come on… give us a smile, Rose.” -Alya begged her, as she zoomed in on her face.

“Yeah, come on, Rose, speech! Speech!” -Ivan said.

It did not take long for the whole class to ask the blonde for a speech. Their enthusiasm was infectious, and though Rose was not a person who liked to give out speeches, her friends’ enthusiasm gave her the

“Okay, okay… I’m not very good with speeches, but, since you’ve asked so nicely, I’ll say a few words. First of all, thank you all for being here for me, when my parents could not come because of their work. This means a lot to me.” -Rose talked to the camera. –“I don’t know if I’ll be one of the lucky ones who gets accepted into this school, but even I don’t get accepted, I just want you all to know, that I’m the luckiest girl in Paris, if not all of France, for having such great friends. Thank you for doing this for me.” -she said, trying not to shed a tear and smudge her make-up.

Her words touched her friends’ hearts, who could not help but to applaud her and wish her the best of luck. Deep down, they knew Rose was going to make it. One by one, they all gave her a hug and wished her good luck, once more. Not wanting the kwamis to feel left out of the action, one by one, each of the little creatures was passed by their holders, while pretending to be plushies, so no one would that was around there would suspect a thing, and wished her good luck. The last one of them was Flint, Rose’s kwami, who was entitled to a mighty big kiss from the blonde. That display of affection would have gone even longer, if they had not heard her name being called once more over the speakers. Not wanting to delay Rose, they all told her they would be waiting for her there, as she went up the stairs, on her way to the second floor.

“ _I can do this!_ ” -Rose told herself, as she climbed the stairs.


	20. Epilogue

Rose had gone up the stairs a couple of minutes before, but to the rest of the kids, it felt like it had been hours ago. As they waited for her to come back, they heard the other kids telling the people they had come with how great or how awful their trial had been, and that just made them even more nervous.

“How long has it been since she left?” -Kim asked, as he kept walking in circles.

“Five minutes… and asking that every 30 seconds won’t make time go any faster, Kim.” -Max told him. –“Plus, if you keep walking in circles, you’re going to gouge a hole on the floor.” -he said, as he grabbed his Game Boy Colour and started to play on it. Being the videogame fanatic, he was. Max had almost every single gaming console that was ever made, and on that day, he had brought his old Game Boy Colour.

The waiting was killing them all. They wanted to know just how things went with Rose, some more than others.

“What I wouldn’t give to be able to see what’s going on up there.” -Marinette said.

“Yeah, but to do that, you’d have to be a fly.” -Alix told her.

“Or a bee…” -Sabrina suggested, as she looked at Chloé. –“You could use your powers and go up there, to see if everything’s okay with Rose.” -she whispered at the blonde.

“That’s a great idea!” -Chloé exclaimed.

“Or, you could use your powers and turn yourself invisible, enter the room and see what’s really happening.” -Ivan suggested

“No!” -Juleka said. –“We can’t do that.”

“She is right, you know?” -Tamara told them. –“Not only you would be using your powers for your own personal reasons, but you would be intruding in a moment that is Rose’s, and Rose’s only.” -the raven kwami went on. –“How would you like if Rose, or any other person, intruded in a special moment of yours?”

Tamara’s words touched them, and made them realize that though they had the power to find out what was going on, they had no right to do so.

“I guess we wouldn’t like it.” -Ivan said.

“Indeed… I wouldn’t, that’s for sure.” -Chloé agreed with Ivan.

“Look, let’s just wait and see. Besides, there’s nothing we can do for her now. It’s all up to her. We helped the best we could, but now, it’s all in her hands.” -Marinette told them both.

“Or her feet, as the case may be.” -Nino said.

“We’ll just have to wait, and hope for the best.” -Sabrina said.

And wait they did. They tried to come up with ways to pass the time, while waiting for Rose to come back. But their nerves were getting the better of them, and not even a conversation they were able to carry without going back to the same topic, Rose. Finally, Alya decided to use the tablet Max had also brought with him and logged in on the Miraculous Blog, to show everyone something a guy had caught on camera during their fight with Haute Couture and sent to the blog. She figured that would keep their mind busy long enough for Rose to come back.

“Check this out.” -Alya said, as she started the video. This one began with all of Haute Couture’s diabolical mannequins returning to normal, as well as having someone else as its star.

“That’s Reptile!” -Nino exclaimed.

“So? What’s the big deal? A guy filmed one of Hawk Moth’s goons instead of us.” -Kim said.

“Do you think I would pester you with something that was absolutely pointless?” -Alya raised her eyebrow at Kim.

“I don’t know, we’re trying to pass the time, so…”

“That was a rhetorical question, Kim.” -Alya told him.

“If my girl says it’s important, then it is. Trust me, I know what I’m talking about.” -Nino said. –“Go ahead, Alya, show us what that guy found.”

“Thanks, Nino.” -Alya smiled at him. –“But as I was saying, take a closer look to what happens now.” -she told the others, as Reptile lift the manhole cover and entered the sewer.

“He… he went into the sewers.” -Chloé said.

“So? Big deal, if I was a half-man, half snake creature, who just had his sorry behind beaten by a bunch of superheroes, I would also crawl back into the place I came from.” -Kim joked.  

“No! Don’t you get it? If he went into the sewers, that could mean one thing. Hawk Moth’s hideout could be in the sewers.” -Alya declared. –“The guy who sent me this to the blog, has also sent it to the police, saying that Hawk Moth could really be hiding in the sewers, in the hopes that they might investigate it.

“That’s an interesting theory.” -Juleka said.

“But, do you really think Hawk Moth could be hiding in the sewers?” -Marinette asked. –“He doesn’t look like the kind of guy who would be caught dead in the sewers.” -she said. –“Do you remember how he dresses?”

“Maybe not… but who knows? He could have a hideout that can only be accessed through the sewers, or something like that.” -Alya said.

“Let’s not forget that the sewers are not the only thing that’s underneath the earth. We’ve got sewers, underground stations, both working and abandoned, old deserted bunkers from World War II, among other things.” -Max said. –“Some people say that if a person wanted to go to the other side of town without be seen, it could use the sewers and underground passages to go all the way, without ever having to go up into the street.”

“It’s not hard to imagine. There are thousands of kilometres of sewers, tunnels and such, under Paris.” -Sabrina said.

“Well, whether the guy who sent you this is right or wrong, we should try and see if there’s some truth to it, when we can.” -Adrien said.

“You go and check out that smelly sewer if you want to.” -Chloé exclaimed. –“I’ll check for Hawk Moth’s presence, somewhere where it doesn’t stink.” -she said.

“You know what it would be funny? If his hideout was in Disneyland.” -Nathaniel joked. –“I mean, think about it, what would be the last place you think a supervillain would show up? The answer is simple, Disneyland, the happiest place on Earth.”

That joke from Nathaniel managed to crack up a couple of laughs from them all. Still, the idea that Hawk Moth and his minions were hiding somewhere in Paris kept them thinking about it. If they could find where Hawk Moth was hiding, they could try and fight him directly, instead of dealing with the akumas he created, or his minions.

“I agree that we should investigate this, when we have the time. But before that, maybe we should talk to Master Fu about it.” -Marinette said.

“Marinette’s right.” -Tikki said, as she peeked out of the blue-haired girl’s purse. –“You should talk to Master Fu first. He’ll know if you should or shouldn’t do that right now.” -the little kwami said.

“Indeed. If you happen to find Hawk Moth’s hideout and a fight breaks out, you need to be prepared, and there’s no one better than Master Fu to tell you if you’re ready or not.” -Wayzz said.

“Do you think we’re not ready to face him again?” -Ivan asked him.

“You have evolved much in very little time, but…” -Muria told his holder.

“But we’re still not strong enough to take him on, are we?” -Alix asked.

“Not yet, and I think I speak for all kwamis here, when I say that you’re very talented and you are on your way to become the best miraculous holders ever.” -Wayzz said. “But you still have a long way to get there.”

“Then, there’s only one thing to do… we’ve got keep training.” -Marinette told them all. She agreed that they should ask Master Fu for his opinion, regarding their chances of defeating Hawk Moth in single combat. And furthermore, she knew they all still had a long way to go, when it came to master their powers and abilities. Their battle against Haute Couture showed they still had a lot to learn.   

“They say practice makes perfect.” -Tikki told her.

The conversation regarding that subject could have gone for ours, if Ivan had not spotted Rose coming down the stairs.

“Hey, look, Rose’s back!” -he pointed out.

Coming down the stairs, Rose looked a little down. You could not see it at first, unless you were looking her directly in the eyes, but she was. Her eyes revealed that something had gone wrong. None of them said a word, and felt that the first thing they should do was go with he to somewhere where they, including the kwamis, could all talk without anyone seeing them. Finding a place where they could do that, they all took a seat and Flint, Rose’s kwami broke the ice by asking:

“So, how did it go?”

“Fine…” -she sighed.

“Rose, what happened? Did you forget your routine? Did the dress gave you any trouble? Come on, girl, tell us!” -the flamingo kwami insisted on the matter. He knew there was something bothering Rose, he just did not know what exactly.   

“No, everything went okay, Flint…”

“But?” -Alya asked her.

“But… I don’t know if I was good enough to be accepted.” -Rose sighed.

“What makes you say that?” -Nathaniel asked her.

And then, she told them all about it. She told them that there were four judges watching her performance, all of them teachers of that school. Two of them were men, and the other two were women. They watched her dance silently, as she performed the routine, without saying a single word. The blonde thought she had caught one of the male judges whispering something to one of the others, when she began her second part of the routine, but was not sure. When she finished, there were no applauses, no nothing. The only thing they did was thanking her, and telling her that the results would be posted in the school’s lobby.  

“But that doesn’t mean they didn’t like it.” -Marinette told her.

“Have you ever had the feeling that something bad is going to happen, and then it really happens, Marinette?” -Rose asked her. –“Well, I’m feeling that right now…”

“That’s just stinking thinking. You’ll see, everything will turn out okay.” -Mylene told her.

“I wouldn’t be surprised if they loved it and did not say a thing, just to look professional.” -Flint told her. He, more than anyone else in that group, believed Rose was going to be accepted into that school.

“I want to believe that, Flint, I really do, but something inside my heart is telling me that no matter how much I believe in it, it won’t come true…” -Rose told him. You could hear the sadness and the anguish in her voice.

* * *

The sadness and the nerves were killing Rose from the inside. If the others were nervous to find out if she had entered the school, then she could not even stand still for a second, walking from side to side. In her head, she was imagining all possible scenarios and that was just making her go crazy. Seeing her like that, Juleka decided to do the only thing she could think of… buy Rose an ice cream. Rose had told her once that every time she became stressed to the point of insanity, the only thing that would calm her down was an ice cream. Telling Marinette and the others to try and calm her down, she went outside looking for a place that sold ice cream. They were in October, and most places had stopped selling ice creams already, but usually, there was always a place or another that would sell them until a bit later in the year. It took her almost 10 minutes, but she found a café nearby that still had her favourite ice cream selling and bought her one. Running back, she gave it to Rose who opened it and started to eat as fast as she could. After the first bite, she began to calm down to the point of allowing herself to sit down on the ground, as her heart began to slow down a bit, and her mind stopped conjuring all kinds of crazy thoughts.   

“Better?” -Juleka asked her.

“Yes…” –Rose answered, as she kept eating the ice cream. –“I was really needing one of these.”

“Thank God you only need ice cream to calm your nerves down. If we were talking about Chloé here, she would probably need to eat something like caviar or Belgian chocolates to calm herself down.” -Nino joked, earning a couple of laughs from the others and a deadly glare from Chloé, who did not find that funny.

“For your information, I find caviar disgusting, and Belgian chocolates are too sweet for my taste, Nino.” -Chloé shot at him, upset about that joke. Just because she was richer than some of them, that did not mean she had some extravagant tastes that could only be satisfied by exotic and expensive foods. –“And usually, when I’m nervous, the thing that calms me down is a bowl of cherry tomatoes.” -she told him.

“Come on, let’s not start fighting, okay?” -Alya begged both her boyfriend and Chloé. –“Do you want to get Rose even more nervous than she already is with a fight?”

“No…” -they both said in chorus.

When she finished her ice cream, Rose let out a sigh of relief. The icy treat had done its work, by calming her down a little. Still, she was still feeling the fear of anticipation inside her heart. Seeing that, Juleka sat right beside her and told her:

“Look, when they post the results, one of us will go there and see if you got in or not. Unless, you want to check it yourself.”

“I don’t think I can, Juleka.” -Rose said with a nervous voice.

“Then, I’ll go.” -Juleka told her with a warm voice. –“I’ll do that for you.”

“If you are accepted, then we’ll laugh with you… if you’re not, then we’ll cry with you.” -Alix told her. –“No matter what happens, we’ve got you back, okay?”

“And no matter what, after this I’m paying you all lunch, back at the hotel, okay?” -Chloé told her. –“Winning or losing, you’ll still have to lunch, right?” -she tried to make her laugh. The blonde had never been known for cracking up jokes, and this was a first for her. To her surprise, she made Rose smile, who appreciated the gesture.   

A couple of minutes later, a school official showed up in the lobby holding a sheet of paper, which he then posted on an information board. As he did this, everyone tried to look if their name was in it. Some were so nervous, that they asked the people that were accompanying them to check it for them. The same thing happened with Rose, who asked someone to check the board for her.

Trying to get to the front of the information board proved to be quite the challenge for Juleka. The amount of people trying to see what was written on the sheet was quite big, and it took her longer than she expected to get to the front. While she did this, the rest of the gang tried to keep Rose calm, by talking with her and telling her that everything was going to be fine. When Juleka came back, she looked at them with a gloomy and serious face, which made them all fear the worse

“Well?” -Rose asked her.

“I’m afraid, I’ve got some bad news, Rose.” -Juleka told her with a gloomy voice. Hearing that, everyone knew what she was going to say.

“I didn’t get in, did I?” -Rose asked her, on the brink of tears.

“I’m afraid you’re going to have to divide your free time between superhero duties and training, and ballet practice, from now on.” -Juleka told her seriously. Those were not the words Rose, or the others were expecting to hear, when she told them that she had bad news.  

“Y-You mean…” -Rose said, as the tears began to roll down her face.

“Yes.” -a smile appeared on her face. –“You were accepted, Rose!”

When Juleka said that she had been accepted into that ballet school, to Rose it felt like a weight had been lifted from her chest. Crying out of joy, she practically jumped into Juleka’s arms and hugged her as hard as she could. Her friends were also happy with the news and began to celebrate, by shouting and whistling into the air, while also joining in for a group hug.

“I was accepted! I was accepted! I was accepted!!!!” -Rose exclaimed in Juleka’s arms.

“See? What did I tell you?” -Mylene said to her.

“We told you could make it.” -Nathaniel smiled at her.

The kwamis were also celebrating inside the backpack they were hidden in, and were counting the minutes for their holders to get out of there, so they could congratulate

“I’m really proud of you, Rose. You’re going to be a great ballerina, and today, you showed them just that.” -Flint thought to himself. He could be happier for Rose, even if he wanted to.  

While he thought about it, Rose kept being hugged by her friends, as tears of happiness rolled down her face, smudging her make-up. She felt like on top of the world, right then. In fact, she felt like she could do anything. The only times that happened was when she transformed into Flamingo and fought against evil, surrounded by her friends, so, it felt nice to feel that very same feeling, without wearing a mask.

“Sorry… I guess I smudged all my make-up, and after all the hard work you had to do it.”

“It’s okay, you earned the right to smudged it all with your happiness tears.” -Juleka told her, as she wiped the smudged mascara from her eyes. –“ _I never want to see you cry, except, out of happiness, Rose. A face like yours, is too pretty to be seen crying out of sorrow._ ” -the Goth thought to herself.

“Thanks, Juleka.” -Rose smiled. –“I’m so lucky in having you as a friend. You know just what to say in each occasion.” -she thought to herself.

“So, does this mean lunch will still be on you?” -Kim asked Chloé with a joking voice.

“Of course! I do keep my promises, you know?” -Chloé told him.

“ _Well, you never did, until a while ago._ ” -Kim told himself.

“Okay, maybe I haven’t keep my promises, until a while ago, but that was the old me. The new me will always keep her promises.” -Chloé thought to herself.

“Come on, let’s hear it! Three cheers for Rose, the best ballerina of Collége Françoise Dupont!” -Alya exclaimed.

“Alya’s right! Come on, everyone!” -Marinette exclaimed enthusiastically.

“Hip hip hooray! Hip hip hooray! Hip hip hooray!” -they all exclaimed in chorus.   

It was time to celebrate, and right then, Rose felt like the luckiest girl in the world. She had been accepted in Centre de Danse du Marais, where she would begin her journey to become a full-fledged ballerina, she had a group of friends who had halped her get there… right then, she did not need anything else. For once, she was in perfect harmony with the universe, and there was nothing that could spoil it.  

 

The End… for now


End file.
